Long Break...and Back with simple Lau Dal (Lauki Dal)

I’m not back with a BANG for, while writing, there was no noise except the tap tap tap of the keyboards and...slowly and noiselessly the blog space accepted my words and pictures...easy for friends to read and, of course, look forward to the encouragement I get from your precious comments.

This VIRTUAL blogging world is so different from the very REAL world we live in. Here we make friends with people whom we don’t meet in person, yet we get to know each other through our communication with words.

...and internet makes all this easy...

Science and Technology has advanced by leaps and bounds. Even today children bring home from school their essay home work with the topic, “Is Science a Bane or a Boon” and many students pester their mothers for some valuable points and then mother’s trip back into their school days...

...the Aahh!!! and the Oohh!!! is beginning to crawl from the other end.

So just let me tell you about the Lau Dal recipe so that...

...unfinished sentence for the focus now is on the recipe.

This is a simple dish cooked so easily...can be a beginner’s delight. Call it Lau/Lauki/Bottle Gourd when cooked in different kitchens bring out the variety in taste.

The Recipe:

For this we need:

1 cup moong dal (dry roasted)

½ of a Lau (Lauki): Washed, peeled and cut into medium size cubes. Always wash the lauki/lau before peeling off the thick skin (the skin can also be cooked for a special tasty dish...a Bengali preparation) and cutting into pieces or grating (for kofta) it.

Panch phoron: 1 tsp

Haldi powder: ½ tsp

Salt

Sugar

Cooking oil

Water: 5 cups

Begin the cooking process:

Dry roast the mung dal till it turns dark pink. Wash 2-3 times.

Place the pressure cooker on the burning stove. Once it starts picking up the heat add 2 tbsp oil and let the smoke come up (don’t burn the oil).

To this add 1 tsp panch phoron and after the crackling starts in the pressure pan and the whole spices start giving out their (mixed) heavenly aroma pour in 5 cups of water and soon after add the washed mung dal.

To this add the haldi powder and the cubed Lau/Lauki.

Close the lid and cook till the pressure cooker hisses 5-6 times. Switch of the gas oven and let the pressure cooker cool down.

Open the lid and let the dal come to a boil. To this add salt and sugar (optional, but even then I feel you can add ½ tsp sugar). Let it boil for another couple of minutes and the dish is ready to be served with plain white rice, roti or paratha.

Wasn't it easy and time saving?
Serves 4-5 person
Cooking time: In total 20-25 minutes
Taste - very individual...and then the final points.