Channa dal and bottle gourd {Lauki}curry

This is a split gram lentil and Bottle gourd curry. Bottle gourd and any type of lentils make a great combination , giving the bottle gourd a great flavour. This recipe of bottle gourd and channa dal goes really well with chapatis. Channa dal needs to be soaked in water for at least 2 hrs . , then boiled separately till done. After the bottle gourd and rest of the ingredients and spices are added and cooked then the cooked channa dal is tossed in and lastly coconut milk is added.

Ingredients

1/2cup channa dal

600 gms lauki

2 medium size onions

2 green chillies

2 tomatoes

1 tbsp coriander seeds

1/2tsp pepper corn

1/4tsp methi seeds

1/4tsp hing { asafoetida}

1/4 tsp cumin

10 curry leaves

1/2tsp tamarind paste

1/2tsp chilli powder

25gms coconut powder dissolved in 1/4cup lukewarm water.

Soak channa dal for 1 to 2 hrs.then boil the dal till done. Keep aside

Dry grind the corriander seeds,pepper corns,methi seeds, cumin seeds and curry leaves . Mix in hing powder and mix well

Heat a vessel with oil.stir fry finely chopped onions till lightly brown add in finely chopped 2 green chillies and stir fry.

Add the finely chopped tomatoes and some of the water of the boiled cooked channa dal.

Allow to cook for sometime till tomatoes are soft.

Add salt and the ground powdered spice along with1/2tsp chilli powder.

Add some amount of water and cook for 5 mins on low flame.

Mix in the bottle gourd well.cook for 2 mins.

On low flame.

Then add the boiled cooked channa dal.and the tamarind paste

Mix well and cook till the vegetable is cooked. add the coconut milk.mix well.

Lastly give a task of 1 tbsp ghee with few mustard seeds and few curry leaves.once it starts to splitter add to the curry.