Kaddu Ka Dalcha (Bottle Gourd cooked with Bengal Gram - Hyderabadi Style)

Name: Kaddu Ka Dalcha (Bottle Gourd cooked with Bengal Gram - Hyderabadi Style)
Total time: 1500 s
Yield: 3 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 1/2 cup chana dal (Bengal Gram), soaked for 30 minutes; 1 med size bottle gourd, cubed; 2 tbsp oil; 2 bay leaves; 1 cinnamon stick; 2-3 green cardamoms; 4-5 cloves; 1 tsp cumin seeds; 1 large onion, chopped; 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste; 1 tomato, chopped; 1/2 tsp turmeric powder; 1 tbsp roasted coriander-cumin powder; 1 tsp garam masala powder; 1 tbsp red chili powder; As per taste salt; 2 green chilies, slit; 1 tsp tamarind paste mixed with 1/2 cup water; 1 tbsp ghee (clarified butter); 1 tsp mustard seeds; 1 whole dry red chilies, broken in half; 1 sprig curry leaves; as required onion rings & coriander leaves to garnish

Bethica Das @kitchen_flavours

Sharjah (UAE)

#boxweek18 #bottle_gourd - This is a traditional Hyderabadi Vegetarian cuisine where Bottle gourd (Lauki) is cooked with chana dal (Bengal Gram), called "Kaddu Ka Dalcha". Kaddu means bottle gourd in the local lingo. Though there are many versions to it, it is generally cooked in the same way as Mutton Dalcha minus mutton, eggplants, and potatoes.

It is also cooked sometimes with tuvar dal (pigeon pea lentil). It can be prepared in a soup form to be enjoyed with rice. Here in this recipe, I kept it slightly semi-dry to be had with chapatti. Serve this delicious dish garnished with onion rings and coriander leaves.

Bethica Das @kitchen_flavours

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Ingredients

20-25 minutes

3 servings

1/2 cupchana dal (Bengal Gram), soaked for 30 minutes
1 med size bottle gourd, cubed
2 tbspoil
2bay leaves
1cinnamon stick
2-3green cardamoms
4-5cloves
1 tspcumin seeds
1large onion, chopped
1 tbspginger-garlic paste
1tomato, chopped
1/2 tspturmeric powder
1 tbsproasted coriander-cumin powder
1 tspgaram masala powder
1 tbspred chili powder
As per taste salt
2green chilies, slit
1 tsptamarind paste mixed with 1/2 cup water
1 tbspghee (clarified butter)
1 tspmustard seeds
1whole dry red chilies, broken in half
1 sprigcurry leaves
as requiredonion rings & coriander leaves to garnish

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Steps

20-25 minutes

1

Heat oil in a pan and temper with the bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves, and cumin seeds. Sauté for a few seconds.
2

Add onion & sauté till light brown.
3

Add ginger-garlic paste, turmeric powder, coriander-cumin powder & garam masala powder mixed with water.
4

Add tomatoes & red chili powder. Sauté till tomatoes are mashed nicely.
5

Add chopped bottle gourd & chana dal. Sauté for 2 minutes.
6

Add 1 & 1/2 cups water, salt & green chilies. Pressure cook for 4-5 whistles.
7

Heat ghee & temper with mustard seeds, red chili & curry leaves. Sauté few seconds. Pour this tempering on the cooked Dalcha.
8

Serve, garnished with onion rings & coriander leaves.