Kaddu Ka Dalcha

Name: Kaddu Ka Dalcha
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 1/2 cup tuvar dal (pigeon pea lentil), soaked for 30 minutes; 1/2 of a medium bottle gourd, chopped into big pieces; 2 tbsp oil; 1 tsp cumin seeds / shahjeera; 2 green cardamoms; 4 cloves; 1" cinnamon stick; 2 bay leaves; 1 onion, chopped; 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste; 1 tbsp roasted coriander-cumin powder; 1/2 tsp turmeric powder; 1 tsp garam masala powder; 1 tbsp red chilli powder; 1 tomato, chopped; to taste salt; 1 tsp tamarind paste mixed with 1/2 cup water; 1 tbsp ghee; 1 tsp mustard seeds; 1 dry red chilli; 1 sprig curry leaves; 1 tbsp coriander leaves to garnish

Bethica Das @kitchen_flavours

Sharjah (UAE)

#summerfood - This is a traditional Hyderabadi cuisine where I have cooked Bottle Gourd with tuvar dal (split pigeon pea lentil) called "Kaddu Ka Dalcha." Kaddu means Lauki / Bottle Gourd in the local lingo. There are many versions to it. It is cooked either with Chana Dal (Bengal Gram Lentil) or Tuvar Dal (Pigeon Pea Lentil).

So today I have cooked with Tuvar Dal in a gravy form to be relished with plain steamed rice, Kuska Biryani or Jeera Rice. It is cooked in the same way as Mutton Dalcha, minus the mutton, eggplants and potatoes. A tempering of mustard seeds, dry red chilli and curry leaves in ghee is poured to the cooked Dalcha and served, garnished with coriander leaves.

Bethica Das @kitchen_flavours

Saved

Ingredients

1/2 cuptuvar dal (pigeon pea lentil), soaked for 30 minutes
1/2of a medium bottle gourd, chopped into big pieces
2 tbspoil
1 tspcumin seeds / shahjeera
2green cardamoms
4cloves
1"cinnamon stick
2bay leaves
1onion, chopped
1 tbspginger-garlic paste
1 tbsproasted coriander-cumin powder
1/2 tspturmeric powder
1 tspgaram masala powder
1 tbspred chilli powder
1tomato, chopped
to tastesalt
1 tsptamarind paste mixed with 1/2 cup water
1 tbspghee
1 tspmustard seeds
1dry red chilli
1 sprigcurry leaves
1 tbspcoriander leaves to garnish

Saved

Steps

1

Pressure cook the dal in 1 1/2 cups water for 4-5 whistles. Whisk and keep aside. Pressure cook the chopped bottle gourd in 1 cup water for 2 whistles. Keep aside.
2

Heat oil in a pan and temper with bay leaves, cardamoms, cinnamon, cloves and cumin seeds. After it stops crackling, add the onion and saute till light brown in colour.
3

Now add the ginger-garlic paste, turmeric powder, coriander-cumin powder, garam masala powder and red chilli powder mixed with 1/4 cup water. Saute till oil separates.
4

Add the chopped tomato and continue to saute till they are mashed. Add the boiled dal, bottle gourd, salt to taste and tamarind water.
5

Simmer on low flame for 2-3 minutes. Check the consistency. Add more water if gravy is desired to be had with rice.
6

Saute for a few seconds and pour this tempering on the prepared Dalcha. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with jeera rice, khushka biryani or plain steamed rice.