Bottle Gourd called Ghiya in New Delhi, India

There are many ways to cook this vegetable. Here is a recipe with a Punjabi touch and my added twist. Absolutely delicious.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup toor channa dhal
• 1 bottle gourd, chopped
• 4 medium-sized tomatoes
• 2 Tbsps. fresh ginger, diced
• 2-3 cloves garlic, diced
• 4 tsps. turmeric powder
• 2 green chillies
• 4 dry red chillies
• 2 tsps. cumin seeds
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1 tsp. asafoetida
• 1 tsp. red chillie powder
• 1/3 cup tamarind juice
• Oil or a mix of oil and clarified butter (ghee)
• Salt to taste
• 2 Tbsps. fresh, chopped coriander leaves
  
  

Method:

Soak channa dhal for an hour. Then cook dhal, ghiya and 2 slit green chillies with 2 tsps. turmeric powder in pressure cooker. Let it cook well. Remove when done and mash the contents.

For garnish:

In this dish, the final seasoning is the major taste enhancer. Use a pan, add oil. In order, add the following after the oil warms.Mustard seeds, cumin seeds, ginger, garlic, the remaining turmeric powder, chillie powder, asafoetida. Let it all cook for about 5 mins. Now add the tamarind juice. Close pan and let it boil for at least 7 minutes so it doesn't taste raw.

Open pan and add the entire cooked dhal and ghiya. Add salt, close pan and let them cook for 10 minutes on medium heat. Finally garnish with coriander.