Spinach-Bottlegourd Dal

Spinach-Bottlegourd Dal is a spicy South Indian lentil soup that tastes delicious with plain rice. Bottlegourd is low in calories and fat and high in water content and fiber and great for weight-loss. Spinach contains a lot of iron, calcium, and fiber. Combined with the protein in the red lentils, this vegetarian/vegan soup is a healthy addition to any meal.

Servings: 4
Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup toor dal (red gram/lentil)
• 1 cup bottlegourd, cut into 1/-inch inch pieces
• 1 1/2 cups spinach, chopped
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp tamarind paste
• Salt to taste

For Masala

• 1 tsp vegetable oil
• 4 tsp urad dal (split black gram)
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 5 red chillies
• 1/4 tsp asafoetida powder (hing)

Preparation

1. Cook the toor dal with 1 1/2 cups water and a pinch of turmeric powder in a pressure cooker for 3-4 whistles or boil separately until cooked.
2. While the dal is cooking, in a saucepan, boil the bottlegourd pieces in a 1 1/2 cups water with some salt and a little turmeric powder until almost tender. Add the spinach and tamarind paste and cook for 1-2 minutes on medium heat.
3. For the masala, heat the oil in a small pan. Add the asafoetida powder, urad dal, and mustard seeds and fry until the dal is golden and the mustard pops. Remove in a bowl to cool. Add the red chillies and fry until browned and let cool. In a small (coffee grinder) grinder, powder all these ingredients into a coarse powder and set aside.
4. Add the masala powder to the bottlegourd and let it cook on medium heat for 2 minutes.
5. Mash the cooked toor dal and add to the bottlegourd along with 1 cup water and salt as needed, and let the spinach-bottlegourd dal come to a boil. Remove from heat.
6. Serve the spinach-bottlegourd dal with plain rice, ghee (clarified butter) and pappadums.

Category: Dals and Soups - Members, Dals and Soups - No-Onion No-Garlic - Members, Vegan Dals and Soups - Members