Nosh Lab · untestedIndian

Bottle Gourd and Mung Bean Dal

A delicate, light dal with tender bottle gourd pieces and split mung beans, tempered with asafoetida and cumin. The pale green color and subtle sweetness make this an elegant, easily digestible dinner.

Prep: 8 min
Cook: 20 min
Total: 28 min
Serves: 4
Difficulty: Easy

AI-written and untested. I haven't cooked this one. Quantities, times, nutrition and allergens are estimates, so read it through before you start.

Ingredients

1 lbbottle gourd (lauki)
¾ cupssplit mung beans (moong dal)
3½ cupswater
2 tbspcoconut oil
1 tspcumin seeds
⅛ tspasafoetida (hing)
¼ tspturmeric powder
1green chilies
½ tspsalt
½ tbspginger (optional)

Steps

1Rinse mung beans under cold water until water runs clear. Peel bottle gourd with a vegetable peeler, remove seeds, and cut into 0.5-inch cubes.
2In a medium pot, bring 3.5 cups water to a boil over high heat.
3Add mung beans and bottle gourd cubes, along with turmeric and salt. Return to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 15-18 minutes, stirring occasionally, until both beans and gourd are completely soft and dal breaks down into a semi-thick consistency.
4While dal cooks, prepare the tempering: heat coconut oil in a small skillet over medium heat until shimmering, about 1 minute.
5Add cumin seeds and let them sizzle and darken for 30-40 seconds until fragrant and their oils are released.
6Add asafoetida, slit green chili, and ginger (if using), cooking for 15-20 seconds until aromatic. Be careful not to burn the spices.
7Pour the hot tempering into the cooked dal, stirring vigorously to distribute the spiced oil throughout. The dal should bubble slightly and turn fragrant. Taste and adjust salt if needed.
8Serve hot with steamed rice or roti, drizzling any excess tempering oil over the top.

Tips

Bottle gourd has a mild flavor that absorbs the spices beautifully. The key is cooking the dal until it breaks down into a creamy, semi-thick consistency—not too watery. Tempering is crucial for flavor; the hot oil carries the spices' essential oils into the dal. This dish is traditionally light and easily digestible, making it perfect for evening meals.

Swaps

moong dal: Substitute split chana dal or split yellow lentils
asafoetida: Use a small pinch of black salt (kala namak) for depth
bottle gourd: Use zucchini or cucumber (add in last 5 minutes of cooking)
green chilies: Omit if sensitive to heat

Nutrition per serving

Estimated

252Calories

13 gProtein

35 gCarbs

8 gFat

3 gFiber

1 gSugar

307 mgSodium

5.2Glycemic load

DietVegetarianVeganGluten-freeDairy-freeNut-freeDiabetic-friendlyHeart-healthy