Wash and soak chana dal in water for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, drain soaked chana dal and keep aside. Peel and cut lauki into small pieces.

Heat 2-tablespoons oil in a 3-5 liter capacity aluminum or steel pressure cooker over medium flame. Add mustard seeds; when they begin to crackle, add cumin seeds, asafoetida, chopped garlic and a small piece of cinnamon. Sauté until garlic turns light brown.

Add chopped tomato, red chilli powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder. Stir and cook until tomatoes turn soft, it will take around 2-minutes.

Add soaked and drained chana dal.

Add chopped lauki and salt.

Mix well and sauté for 3-4 minutes. This step is necessary to enhance the taste of the curry as the lauki cooks with spices in oil brings out the flavor.

Add 3/4 cup water and mix well. Close the lid and pressure cook for 5-whistles over medium flame.

Turn off the flame and let the pressure comes down naturally. Open the lid and taste the curry for the salt. If required, add more at this stage.

If the cooked curry has too much gravy, cook it again for 2-3 minutes or until you get the desired consistency. Transfer prepared lauki chana dal sabzi to a serving bowl and garnish with chopped coriander leaves.