Channa Daal With Lauki ( Split Bengal Gram With Bottle Gourd)

Dear friends, today I am posting two dal recipes which you all requested from me.
So first one is a channa- lauki (gourd) daal, and if my friends from army have got a chance to get a posting in north east they certainly would have got many a chance to eat this daal in the mess.
The second daal recipe is saag daal recipe form my side of the country which is called 'Satpaita' in local language. With the advent of winters you can see many variety of saag (green leafy vegetable as spinach, mustard and fenugreek leaves) being sold by the vendors. Even in the countryside this daal is prepared regulary as it's readily available. So I hope you all enjoy making and serving it.

Ingredients -

Split bengal gram - 1 bowl (2oog)
Bottle gourd tender - 250 g
Ginger paste - 1 tsp
Garlic paste - 2 tsp
Green chillies minced - 3-4
Tomatoes chopped - 2
Onion chopped - 1
Cumin powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Red chilli powder -  1/2 tsp
Oil - 3 tbsp
Bay leaf - 2
Salt - to taste 
Water - 1 glassful  ( 2 cups) for daal



For tarka ( tempering) -
Clarified butter ( ghee) - 2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Red chillies whole - 2
Asafoetida (hing) - a pinch

Method -

1. Soak the dal overnight. Put it in a pressure cooker with 1/2 tsp of turmeric powder, little salt, water and wait for 3-4 whistles.
2. Peel and clean the bottle gourd. Cut it in Cube size.
3. Heat the oil and put bay leaf and onions in it. Fry it until the onions turn light brown.
4. Put ginger-garlic paste, green chillies and all the dry ingredients and fry it for a while.
5. Add the tomatoes, saute it for 2 minutes, put the chopped gourd in it and fry it until oil separates.
6. Pour channa dal (split bengal gram) into it and mix it all nicely.
 Pour little water if its too thick. Adjust the salt also.
7. Again let the cooker go for 2 whistles so the gourd is cooked and all are incorporated well.
8. Let it cool down, transfer it in a serving dish.
9. Heat a frying pan with ghee in it. Put the cumin seeds, chillies and asafoetida into it. When it has crackled pour it into the dal and cover it.
10. Serve it hot with rice, roti , paratha or pooris.