Sorakaya Pappu | BottleGourd Dal | Lauki dal

5.0 AVERAGE

Sorakaya Dal (Lauki Dal) is not too strong, spicy or sour like the normal dishes from the Telugu Land. This is a mild recipe and is very light on the stomach. This tasty Lauki dal can be eaten with Rice or as accompaniment to Roti.

Personally I cannot do without Dal in my meals daily. So we make Dal in different ways just to give variety. Among all Dal dishes my family’s favourite is Lauki Dal; and it is made most frequently in my home. This Dal may look like any ordinary Dal curry. But this recipe takes very little spices and oil. Tamarind is not used. Instead, we simply squeeze in a lemon at the end. This simple Dal recipe can be prepared by adding all ingredients at one time and cooking in the Pressure Cooker for the duration of three whistles. Later the Dal can be seasoned. This is what I have done. However, if you are keen to obtain the benefit of each nutrient from the ingredients, you can do it in a different way.

You may also like this recipe Pudina Dal Tadka

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Tips

Dals:

• I have mixed Moong Dal and Tur Dal (Pesara Pappu + Kandi Pappu). You could use either of the two Dals without mixing.

• Dals boil well if they are soaked well.

Chilli Powder:

• Use Chilli very moderately. Thus the flavours of Lauki are brought out clearly and you can enjoy the dish. You will also be able to eat Dal in good quantity if the spice is less.

The healthy Way:

• Boil the Lauki (Sorakaya) pieces with salt in an ordinary pan separately. Boil the Dal with onion and green Chilli separately till soft. Later, mash the cooked Dal and add the Lauki pieces. Cook for another 3 minutes. The flavourful delicate Lauki will retain its texture and taste if it is cooked in this way.

• Actually vegetables like Lauki and Turai (Sorakaya and Beerakaya) do not need to be boiled in the Pressure cooker. We do it just to save time! The taste is enhanced when the vegetable is cooked separately.

Curd Chillies (Challa Mirapakayalu):

• In my family we use Chillies, marinated in curds and dried, for this Sorakaya Pappu preparation. It is very tasty. You must try this. If you do not have the Challa Mirapakayalu, you may use dry red chillies.

Ghee/ Oil:

• This tasty dal gets even more enjoyable if the seasoning is done with Ghee. The aroma of pure ghee takes the dish to another level. If you like you may of course use oil.