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Home » Side Dishes » Dhal / Dal

Published: Nov 18, 2021 · Modified: Nov 18, 2021 by Sandhya Ramakrishnan · This post may contain affiliate links

Lauki Dal Tadka | Masoor Dal with Bottle Gourd

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With the summer abundance of Lauki / bottle gourd from our garden, we enjoyed many dinners with this Lauki dal tadka recipe. I love Masoor dal tadka and making my favorite with bottle gourd is a keeper. Also cooking it in the Instant Pot makes it very convenient and easy.

When it is time to decide what to make for dinner, my first thinking is some kind of dal. We love dal with rice as well as roti and also drink it as a soup.

lauki masoor dal tadka in a bowl

Being vegetarians, we rely quite a bit on different dal recipes for our protein. Masoor dal also known as Red lentils or orange lentils is extremely nutritious and is very flavorful. One of my favorite recipes to make with Masoor dal is the Middle Eastern Vegan Lentil Soup.

Apart from it, I also make a Masoor dal chutney that is extremely delicious when paired with idli or dosai.

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Lauki, one of our favorite vegetables to grow and eat. I grew up in North India and that is how I was adapted to eat lauki. Lauki chana dal subzi and the lauki subzi with peanuts and sesame seeds are two of the very common curry recipes that I make. I also freeze quite a bit of bottle gourd to make these subzis during winter months.

The frozen lauki also works wonderful for this Lauki dal recipe. I have used Masoor dal to make this recipe, but I have made it with other lentils as well and it works equally well.

lauki dal tadka in earthernware

Why make this recipe?

  • I love making dal and chawal / rice for dinner. It is one of the most comforting recipes to eat after a long day.
  • Dal tadka is a great source of protein for vegetarian / vegans. Adding a vegetable like lauki / bottle gourd makes it even healthier.
  • This Lauki dal tadka is a great recipe to feed toddlers as well as elderly. It is easy to chew and digest.
  • Instant pot makes the whole process much easier. It is a one pot recipe and a literally a dump and go recipe. That makes it a preferred dish to make for weeknight dinners.
  • This Dudhi dal tadka is gluten free and Vegan.

Ingredients and Substitutes

Check the recipe card at the bottom of the page for exact measurements and printable detailed recipe.

Ingredients needed to make lauki masoor dal
  • Lentil - I have used Masoor dal also known by names such as orange lentils, pink lentils or red lentils. You could use any other lentils like Moong dal, toor dal or even a mix of all three lentils.
  • Lauki / Dudhi / Bottle gourd - We will be using chopped bottle gourd in the recipe.
  • Other vegetables - tomatoes, onion, green chilies and ginger. And we will also be using cilantro for garnish.
  • Spices - Cumin seeds, turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder and salt.
  • Oil - You could use any cooking oil. I like to use olive oil or coconut oil if I am keeping it vegan. If I am not making it as a vegan recipe, I like to use a little ghee when making the final tadka / seasoning.

Step by step process

  • Heat the instant pot in saute mode. Add oil to the inner pot and let it heat up.
  • Add the cumin seeds and let it crackle.
  • Then add the chopped onions and fry it until translucent.
  • Ginger and green chilies go in next. Mix it well and let it fry for about 30 seconds.
  • Now add the tomatoes and let it cook for about 2 to 3 minutes.
process shot to saute the seasoning to make dal tadka in instant pot
  • Add all the spice powders - turmeric powder, chili powder, coriander powder and salt. Mix well and let it fry for about 5 minutes.
  • Wash and drain the masoor dal. Add the drained lentil and chopped lauki to the instant pot and mix well.
  • Add water needed to the dal and close the lid.
  • Turn off the instant pot from saute mode and set it on manual / pressure cook for 10 minutes.
process shot to make lauki masoor dal in instant pot
  • Once the Instant pot turns off, let the pressure release naturally. Open the pot and mix everything well to combine. You could mash the lentil with the back of the spoon if you prefer smoother dal.
  • Adjust the consistency by adding a little more water if the dal appears too thick.
  • I like to do a tadka / seasoning at the end. Heat oil or ghee in a small pan and add ½ teaspoon cumin seeds. Add ½ teaspoon red chili powder and then pour it on top of the cooked Lauki dal.
  • Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve warm with rice or roti.
adding garnish and tadka to dal in instant pot

Expert tips

  • We can swap bottle gourd to other vegetables such as spinach, ridge gourd, raw mangoes or methi.
  • Add a little less water than usual as bottle gourd lets out quite a bit of liquid.
  • Adding a tadka / seasoning at the end is optional. I like the smoky flavor that it adds to the dal.
  • We could make the Masoor dal tadka in regular pressure cooker as well or it also cooks well on stove top.
masoor dal with cilantro and seasoning

Frequently asked questions

Can I make Lauki dal tadka with any lentil?

I have used masoor dal in this particular recipe, but we can make it with moong dal or toor dal or a combination of all three lentils as well.

What other vegetables can we use instead of lauki?

I often use different greens in the dal like this Dal Palak / Spinach dal. I also use Raw mangoes to make Mango Tuvar dal.

How to store the leftover dal?

Leftovers can be refrigerated for 2 to 3 days and reheated over low heat or in the microwave. You might have to adjust the consistency of the dal a little by adding some water.

More Dal recipes

  • Beet Greens Dal | Moong Dal Tadka with Beetroot leaves
  • Dali Thoy | Konkani Style Dal | Vegan Spiced Lentil
  • Nimbu Dal – Lemon Lentils Recipe
  • Methi Dal | Lentils with Fresh Fenugreek Leaves

 If you made this recipe and liked it, give a star rating on the recipe card or let me know in the comments below. You could also share it with me on Instagram using #MyCookingJourney and tagging me @sandhya.ramakrishnan. You could follow me and my recipes on Facebook |Instagram | Pinterest | twitter

lauki dal tadka

Instant Pot Lauki Dal Tadka | Masoor Dal with Bottle gourd

With the summer abundance of Lauki / bottle gourd from our garden, we enjoyed many dinners with this Lauki dal tadka recipe. I love Masoor dal tadka and making my favorite with bottle gourd is a keeper. Also cooking it in the Instant Pot makes it very convenient and easy.
5 from 7 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Indian
Diet: Vegan
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 163kcal
Author: Sandhya Ramakrishnan

Ingredients

  • 1 Cup Masoor dal / Pink lentil / orange lentil
  • 2 cups Lauki / bottle gourd / dudhi (cubed)
  • 1 cup Onion finely chopped
  • 1 cup Tomatoes finely chopped
  • 4 Green chili adjust based on your spice preference
  • 1 Tablespoon Ginger grated
  • 1 ½ teaspoon Cumin seeds
  • 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder
  • 1 ½ teaspoon Red chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon Coriander powder / Dhania powder
  • 3 teaspoon Oil
  • to taste Salt
  • 4 Tablespoon Cilantro finely chopped

Instructions

  • Heat the instant pot in saute mode. Add 2 teaspoon of oil to the inner pot and let it heat up.
  • Add 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds and let it crackle.
  • Then add the chopped onions and fry it until translucent.
  • Grated ginger and green chilies go in next. Mix it well and let it fry for about 30 seconds.
  • Now add the tomatoes and let it cook for about 2 to 3 minutes.
  • Add all the spice powders - turmeric powder, chili powder, coriander powder and salt. Mix well and let it fry for about 5 minutes.
  • Wash and drain the masoor dal. Add the drained lentil and chopped lauki to the instant pot and mix well.
  • Add about 3 cups of water to the dal and close the lid.
  • Turn off the instant pot from saute mode and set it on manual / pressure cook for 10 minutes.
  • Once the Instant pot turns off, let the pressure release naturally. Open the pot and mix everything well to combine. You could mash the lentil with the back of the spoon if you prefer smoother dal.
  • Adjust the consistency by adding a little more water if the dal appears too thick.
  • I like to do a tadka / seasoning at the end. Heat oil or ghee in a small pan and add ½ teaspoon cumin seeds. Add ½ teaspoon red chili powder and then pour it on top of the cooked Lauki dal.
  • Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve warm with rice or roti.

Notes

Expert tips
  • We can swap bottle gourd to other vegetables such as spinach, ridge gourd, raw mangoes or methi.
  • Add a little less water than usual as bottle gourd lets out quite a bit of liquid.
  • Adding a tadka / seasoning at the end is optional. I like the smoky flavor that it adds to the dal.
  • We could make the Masoor dal tadka in regular pressure cooker as well or it also cooks well on stove top.

Nutrition

Calories: 163kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 115mg | Potassium: 490mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 392IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 53mg | Iron: 3mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @Sandhya.Ramakrishnan or tag #MyCookingJourney!
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Harini Rupanagudi says

    January 18, 2022 at 9:37 pm

    5 stars
    Perfect for any day. Barring the use of onion I make this dal the same way in IP. Love how easy it is 🙂

    Reply
  2. Suma Gandlur says

    January 02, 2022 at 6:02 pm

    5 stars
    Dal fry is a breezy and comforting dish and adding lauki makes it more nutritious.

    Reply
  3. Molly Kumar says

    December 20, 2021 at 2:23 am

    5 stars
    This is one of my fav lauki dish and was superb!!! Easy ingredients and so easy to make too.

    Reply
    • Sandhya Ramakrishnan says

      December 27, 2021 at 9:48 am

      Thank you Molly!

      Reply
  4. Marisa Franca says

    December 17, 2021 at 3:35 pm

    5 stars
    Although Hubby will constantly tell you that he is a meat eater, he doesn't know the difference when I make a recipe like this one. Yesterday I wanted something with a bit of spice and out of the ordinary, for us. He LOVED the dish. He already is making plans for me to make it again. The spice was perfect in it.

    Reply
    • Sandhya Ramakrishnan says

      December 17, 2021 at 6:07 pm

      Thanks so much for trying and I am so happy that you liked it.

      Reply
  5. Melanie says

    December 17, 2021 at 8:36 am

    5 stars
    I have never heard of it but all the ingredients look delicious! Will definitely give it a try! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!

    Reply
    • Sandhya Ramakrishnan says

      December 17, 2021 at 6:08 pm

      Melanie, Dal is an essential side dish in Indian cuisine and one of our favorite. I hope you get a chance to try it sometime.

      Reply
  6. Julie says

    December 17, 2021 at 8:09 am

    5 stars
    What a lovely recipe with a bottle gourd! I was looking for something unique to do with mine and this was it. SO tasty and easy to make with the instant pot.

    Reply
    • Sandhya Ramakrishnan says

      December 17, 2021 at 6:09 pm

      Thanks a lot Julie. IP makes it so much easier.

      Reply
  7. Gloria says

    December 16, 2021 at 1:17 pm

    5 stars
    What an interesting recipe. Not sure I will be able to find the bottle gourd here in Canada. I will see if I can track some down.

    Reply
    • Sandhya Ramakrishnan says

      December 17, 2021 at 6:10 pm

      Hi Gloria, you will find Lauki in Indian stores very easily. Hope you get a chance to try the recipe.

      Reply
  8. Radha says

    December 09, 2021 at 10:24 am

    The dal looks inviting, Sandhya! For me bottle gourd looses shape if I cook for longer time and I use for zero to one minute in Instant pot always! Your recipe sounds interesting and would love to try it!

    Reply

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Sandhya

I am Sandhya Ramakrishnan, author, recipe developer and photographer in this journey! 'My Cooking Journey' is all about family friendly Vegetarian and Vegan recipes from around the World with focus on Indian cuisine.

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