I almost skipped turai this week, it’s the vegetable I always forget about until it’s gone soft in the fridge. Good thing I didn’t. This turai chana dal, made with a mustard oil tempering, turned into one of those quiet, comforting dinners that disappeared faster than I expected. The dal holds its bite while the ridge gourd turns silky that contrast is what makes this one worth repeating. Here’s how to make it.
Why You Will Love This Recipe?
- In this mild and earthy dish mustard oil and cumin do most of the work, and honestly the red chili is barely there, so don’t expect much heat.
- Takes around 1 hour 25 minutes total. Soak the dal for an hour first, then it’s 10 minutes of prep and about 15 minutes on the stove. Feeds 4 without stretching it.
- Dal goes in soaked, turai goes in raw, and both cook together in the pressure cooker for 2 to 3 whistles. No separate boiling needed.
- Skipped the cream and heavy tempering on this one. Tomato paste along with the dal itself is enough to thicken things up, so it stays light but still fills you up.
- Rotis work great here, or just a plain jeera rice if that’s what you have on hand.
- If you like this kind of dal, you may also try lauki chana dal, parwal dal, pumpkin chana dal, gavar chana dal, dudhi chana dalcha or turai moong dal too. Same comfort food idea, just a different vegetable each time.
The Ingredients:
- ½ cup chana dal
- ½ kg turai (ridge gourd, cut into small pieces about 1 inch in size)
- 2 tbsp mustard oil
- 1.5 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
- 1 piece bay leaf (small)
- 1 piece ginger (2 inch in size, finely chopped)
- 3 pieces green chilies (finely chopped)
- 1 piece onion (medium size, finely chopped)
- ½ tsp garlic paste
- ½ cup tomato paste
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- ½ tsp coriander powder
- ½ tsp red chili powder
- ¼ tsp garam masala powder
- 1 cup water
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp coriander leaves (finely chopped)
How to Make Turai Chana Dal? (Step by Step Guide with Images)
Step 1: Wash and soak ½ cup of chana dal in water for an hour. Wash and cut ½ kg turai (ridge gourd) into small pieces about 1 inch in size.
Step 2: Fry 1.5 tsp of cumin seeds and 1 piece of small bay leaf in 2 tbsp of mustard oil on a medium flame for half a minute in a pressure cooker. Add 1 piece of ginger (2 inch in size, finely chopped) and 3 pieces of green chilies, chopped finely as well.
Step 3: Then add 1 piece of onion (medium size, finely chopped). Fry until soft. Add and fry ½ tsp of garlic paste for a minute.
Step 4: Then add ½ cup of tomato paste and mix nicely on a medium to high flame. Cook until the oil separates.
Step 5: Mix ½ tsp of turmeric powder, ½ tsp of coriander powder, ½ tsp of red chili powder and ¼ tsp of garam masala powder on a low flame. Add and mix the soaked chana dal.
Step 6: Add the roughly diced turai to the dal. Cook for 2 minutes.
Step 7: Mix 1 tsp of salt. Then add 1 cup of water. Cover the lid and cook for 2 to 3 whistles on a medium to high flame.
Step 8: Check the doneness and add 1 tbsp of finely chopped coriander leaves.
Step 9: Your healthy and tasty homemade turai chana dal is ready.
Turai Chana Dal Troubleshooting Tips
1. My chana dal is still hard after 3 whistles. What do I do now?
The chana dal can stay tough if it was not soaked well and long enough. Add another quarter cup of water and give it another 1-2 whistles, on medium. Try soaking the chana dal for a full 2 hours.
2. My curry turned out watery. What did I do wrong?
The ridge gourd holds a lot of water. Releases it during pressure cooking. If the curry looks soupy just increase the heat to high and simmer it for 3 to 5 minutes. This way the extra moisture cooks off. The tomato-spice base thickens around the chana dal.
3. Why does my gravy taste raw or bitter?
The dry spices might have got scorched. Maybe the tomato paste did not cook down enough. Sauté the tomato paste until you see oil separating at the edges. Then add your spices. Reduce the heat to low so they don’t burn.
4. I don’t have mustard oil. What can I use?
You can use sunflower or canola oil. Mustard oil gives a taste. If you use it heat it to smoking point then let it cool before adding cumin seeds.
5. My ridge gourd turned to mush. How can I avoid this?
The ridge gourd is delicate. Cutting it into very small pieces makes it break down. Chop it into pieces, about an inch or more in size. This way it softens without dissolving into the chana dal.
Recipe Card
Turai Chana Dal
Ingredients
- ½ cup chana dal
- ½ kg turai ridge gourd, cut into small pieces about 1 inch in size
- 2 tbsp mustard oil
- 1.5 tsp cumin seeds jeera
- 1 piece bay leaf small
- 1 piece ginger 2 inch in size, finely chopped
- 3 pieces green chilies finely chopped
- 1 piece onion medium size, finely chopped
- ½ tsp garlic paste
- ½ cup tomato paste
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- ½ tsp coriander powder
- ½ tsp red chili powder
- ¼ tsp garam masala powder
- 1 cup water
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp coriander leaves finely chopped
Instructions
- Wash and soak ½ cup of chana dal in water for an hour. Wash and cut ½ kg turai (ridge gourd) into small pieces about 1 inch in size.
- Fry 1.5 tsp of cumin seeds and 1 piece of small bay leaf in 2 tbsp of mustard oil on a medium flame for half a minute in a pressure cooker. Add 1 piece of ginger (2 inch in size, finely chopped) and 3 pieces of green chilies, chopped finely as well.
- Then add 1 piece of onion (medium size, finely chopped). Fry until soft. Add and fry ½ tsp of garlic paste for a minute.
- Then add ½ cup of tomato paste and mix nicely on a medium to high flame. Cook until the oil separates.
- Mix ½ tsp of turmeric powder, ½ tsp of coriander powder, ½ tsp of red chili powder and ¼ tsp of garam masala powder on a low flame. Add and mix the soaked chana dal.
- Add the roughly diced turai to the dal. Cook for 2 minutes.
- Mix 1 tsp of salt. Then add 1 cup of water. Cover the lid and cook for 2 to 3 whistles on a medium to high flame.
- Check the doneness and add 1 tbsp of finely chopped coriander leaves.
- Your healthy and tasty homemade turai chana dal is ready.
Notes
Nutrition Info (Estimation Only)
