Ghiya Dal Fry

Everyday Dal used in Bihar homes is the "Chana Dal".  Adorned with the lovely vegetable ghiya or lauki (bottle gourd) and subtle use of  Indian Spices like Bay leaf, Cinnamon and clove gives it a distinguished flavour. When it comes to everyday Cooking, it becomes really difficult to think of a variety. Chana Dal when prepared with Lauki has all the good ness of a really healthy vegetable.The protein requirements one gets from the Chana Dal  is plenty especially the vegetarians.  Right from the kids to the elderly this dal would suffice the requirement of having two vegetables along with this dal as it also has the inclusion of the lovely tomato with the beautiful vegetable Ghiya. Include it in your daily meals and moms can relax without worrying that the kids are not eating veggies.

INGREDIENTS -

Chana Dal - 1 Cup

Ghiya(Bottle Gourd) - 150 gms - Diced

Onion - 1 Large - finely chopped

Tomato - 1 Large - finely chopped

Coriander - 1 tblspn - finely chopped

Cumin Seeds(Jeera) - 1 tspn

Asafetida(Hing)- 1 tspn

Cinnamon (Dalchini)- 1 inch stick (2 pieces)

Bay Leaf (Tej Patta)- 2

Cloves (Laung) - 2 to 3

Garam Masala Powder - 1 1/2 tspn

Red Chilly Powder - 2 tspn

Turmeric Powder - 1 tspn

Clarified Butter (Ghee)- 1 tblspn

Garlic Chopped - 1 1/2 tspn

Ginger Chopped - 1 tspn

Salt - as per taste

METHOD -

1. 
   
   Soak Chana Dal in fresh water for 1/2 an hour.
2. 
   
   Put the dal with 2 1/2 cups of water in a prestige cooker
3. 
   
   Add to it turmeric powder, salt, ghiya,1 bay leaf, cloves and cinnamon,
4. 
   
   Pressure cook till dal is done. Cool it.
5. 
   
   In a kadhai (Pan) put clarified butter. Add Jeera, 1 bay leaf, chopped chillies and asafetida
6. 
   
   When jeera splutters add to it the chopped garlic and let it brown.
7. 
   
   Tip in the chopped ginger. Sauté
8. 
   
   Put it the chopped onions, cook till browned.
9. 
   
   Now add chopped tomatoes and cook well.
10. 
    
    To this add red chilly powder and Sauté  without allowing it to burn.
11. 
    
    Add to this the cooked dal.
12. 
    
    Mix well and let it boil.
13. 
    
    If the consistency is too thick you may add hot water.
14. 
    
    Sprinkle garam masala powder carefully so that no lumps are formed.
15. 
    
    Boil on slow fire.
16. 
    
    Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle coriander leaves.