Bihari Kaddu Aur Chane Dal / Split Chickpeas - Bottle Gourd Dal

I had prepared this dal a while ago as part of a Bihari meal. This is a very common preparation in the state of Bihar and other surrounding areas. It is cooked using split chickpeas / chana dal and bottle gourd. Yes, you read it right. It is prepared with bottle gourd and not pumpkin. Surprisingly, Biharis call their bottle gourds kaddu while the other Hindi speaking areas call pumpkin as kaddu and bottle gourd as lauki. It is one of those hearty, every day kind dals prepared in Indian kitchens. It is a quick and easy dal with simple flavors.

Ingredients:
3/4 cup Bengal gram / Chana dal / Split Chickpeas
1 cup peeled and cubed bottle gourd
1/8 tsp. turmeric powder
2 bay leaves
1 tbsp. oil
1 tsp. cumin seeds
2 - 3 red chillies
Salt to taste
1 tsp. garam masala

Method:
* Soak split chickpeas / chana dal for a couple of hours and drain. Pressure cook split chickpeas / chana dal adding turmeric, a bay leaf and 1.5 cups of water until soft. Don't make it thinner since the dal needs to be on the thicker side. When the valve presssure is gone, remove the lid and mash the dal well or pulse in a food processor. (If the dal was not soaked in advance, pressure cook it longer.)
* Cook the bottle gourd cubes separately with enough water in a microwave.
* Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds, bay leaf and red chillies.  Add the cooked dal and bottle gourd cubes, salt and garam masala. Simmer for a few minutes and turn off the stove.
* Serve warm with rotis / rice.

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