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Ghiya chana daal
گھیا چنے کی دال (ghiya chane ki daal): split chickpea dal with bottle gourd and a cumin-garlic tarka
Bottle gourd is the vegetable Punjabi mothers reach for when someone in the house needs something gentle, and pairing it with chana daal turns that mildness into a proper meal. The split chickpeas cook until creamy but still slightly nubbly, the ghiya melts into soft, translucent pieces and lends the pot a quiet sweetness, and a last-minute tarka of cumin, garlic and dried red chilli wakes the whole thing up. You will find it on everyday tables from Gujranwala to Sahiwal, eaten with chapati or plain boiled rice and a little sliced onion on the side. A common slip is adding the gourd at the start with the dal, so it disappears completely by the time the lentils are soft. Chef's tip: give the soaked dal a 20-minute head start and add the ghiya only then, so both are done together.
- Total time
- 55 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the dal
- 9 oz chana dal (split chickpeas)rinsed and soaked 1 hour
- 4 ¼ cups water
- 1 /2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 ¼ tsp salt
- 14 oz bottle gourd (ghiya, lauki)peeled, seeds removed if large, cut into 2 cm cubes
- 1 tomatochopped
- 1 /2 tsp red chilli powder
- 2 green chilliesslit
For the tarka
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 5 cloves garlicthinly sliced
To serve
- 2 tbsp fresh coriander (optional)chopped
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Drain 9 oz chana dal (split chickpeas) and put it in a large pan with 4 ¼ cups water, 1 /2 tsp ground turmeric and 1 ¼ tsp salt.
2 minStep 2: Bring to the boil, skim off the foam, then partly cover and simmer for 20 minutes until the dal is beginning to soften but still has a firm centre.
20 minStep 3: Add 14 oz bottle gourd (ghiya, lauki), 1 tomato, 1 /2 tsp red chilli powder and 2 green chillies and stir well.
2 minStep 4: Simmer, partly covered, for 18–20 minutes more, stirring now and then, until the dal crushes easily against the side of the pan and the gourd is translucent; add a splash of hot water if it becomes too thick to pour slowly from a spoon.
20 minStep 5: Lightly mash a few spoonfuls of dal against the pan to thicken the body, then take it off the heat.
1 minStep 6: For the tarka, heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a small pan over a medium heat, add 1 tsp cumin seeds and, when it crackles, 5 cloves garlic and 2 dried red chillies; fry for about 1 minute until the garlic is golden.
2 minStep 7: Pour the tarka over the dal, cover for a minute to trap the aroma, then stir, scatter with 2 tbsp fresh coriander and serve.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 310 kcal
- Protein
- 15 g
- Carbs
- 44 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Fibre
- 12 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does ghiya chana daal take?
- About 55 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 45 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of ground turmeric?
- Leave it out (it mostly adds colour).
- What can I use instead of tomato?
- Tinned chopped tomatoes: a 400g tin for about 6 tomatoes (in cooked dishes, not salads).
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