Lauki Chana Dal/Bottle Gourd with Bengal Gram (Microwave Version)

Ingredients:
Bottle gourd - 1 (Medium)
Onion - 1 (small-chopped)
Chana dal/Bengal gram - 1/3 cup
Tomato - 1 (chopped)
Garlic - 1 (chopped)
Ginger - 1/2 tsp. (chopped)
Green chillies - 2 (slit)
Kashmiri red chilli - 1/2 tsp.
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Salt (to taste)
Oil
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp.
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp.

Garnish:
Coriander leaves

Method:
Soak bengal gram in 1 cup of water for an hour.
Microwave high for 10 minutes (without lid).
The water dries up after 10 minutes. Add another cup of water.
Micowave high for  another15 minutes( without lid) or until dal is cooked but not mushy. Stir in between for every 5 minutes.
Remove the dish and keep it aside.
Peel the skin of bottlegourd and chop it into pieces.
Take another microwave safe dish and add chopped bottlegourd.
Micowave high till the bottlegourd is cooked (cover the corningware with a lid).
Stir 3-4 minutes in between.
Add oil and cumin seeds in a bowl and micro high for 2 minutes.
Add onions, green chillies, garlic and ginger and micro high for 3 minutes or until the onions change color.
Add tomatoes and again micro high for 3 minutes. Stir.
Add kashmiri red chilli powder, turmeric powder and micro high for a minute.
Combine bottlegourd, onion, green chillies, garlic, ginger, tomatoes, kashmiri red chillies, turmeric with cooked bengal gram.
Now add required salt to taste, garam masala and 2 tbsp. of water. Mix well.
Micro high for 3 minutes.
Cover and keep aside for 5 minutes.
Sprinkle with coriander leaves and mix.
Serve with any main course.

Sent off to "MLLA-24" (hosted by Diana and started by Susan), "Think Spice Think Garam Masala" (hosted by Saraswathi Iyer and started by Sunitha) and "MEC-Delicious Dals" (hosted by Kamalika and started by Srivalli).

Posted in: lunch, side dish