Zucchini Dal/Courgette Dal(Zucchini cooked with Yellow lentils)

Zucchini or courgette is an Italian squash and a regular in my kitchen. Always have it in my refrigerator.I Incorporate it in many Indian dishes. Few of these recipes are already on my blog. Do not forget to check out my other Zucchini recipes Zucchini tomato curry, Zucchini Tofu curry. Also love em in pastas. Sometimes I would love to eat roasted zucchini as it is.

Dal is an Indian lentil preparation where lentils are cooked with a vegetable and seasoned with spices. Zucchini Dal is a simple preparation n a comforting dish. When ever we come back from a long travel, away from home cooked meal, coming home n having Rice and Dal is a great feeling. Dal tastes so much better when eaten with Rice topped with ghee. If you are watching calories skip the Ghee/Clarified butter part.

At my home Dal is everyone's fav. At Least once a week I would make telugu version of dal using Yellow lentils( Kandipappu). When bored will make other kinds like Dal Makhani, Tadka dal etc using other lentils n beans. My family loves to have it with Rice, Chapathi n Puri. 

Today I wanted to make Dal and all I could find was Zucchini in the fridge which made my decision easy. I pressure cooked lentils before hand and added it to seasoned n cooked zucchini mixture. If you want a quicker way you can cook zucchini n lentils together then add seasoning to it. I have spiced it with chilli powder/cayenne pepper but you can add green chillies instead. The tanginess in dal is achieved by adding little tamarind which is a must in south indian dal. 

I've served Dal with Rice and Tomato Rasam otherwise called Tomato Charu.

Servings:
Four (4)
Total time:
35 minutes
Category:
Lentils/Dals
Author:
Praveena Gudipati

Ingredients: (I use US standard measuring; 1cup=8oz=250ml)
1 cup Yellow lentils (Kandipappu)
2 zucchini
2 red chillies
Salt to taste
1 tablespoon chilli powder or 4 thai chillies
1/4 th big onion
1/2 lemon size tamarind
Mustard seeds
Cumin seeds

Zucchini Dal/Courgette Dal step-by-step Recipe with Photos

• Rinse and pressure cook 1 cup Yellow lentils in 2 cups water for 3 whistles. Add Turmeric before cooking.
  
• Chop zucchini into quarts lengthwise and then cut into long pieces. You can chop em any way you want. Do not make small pieces as they would melt in dal.
• Chop onions lengthwise and cut into half.
• Heat a pan and take 6 tsp oil. Add mustard, cumin seeds. When they splutter add curry leaves and red chillies.
  
• Add green chillies if you are using chillies.Then add  onions. Sauté till they turn transparent.
• Add zucchini pieces. Cook them till soft.
  
• Mix the cooked lentils with a big spoon.Add cooked lentils  to the zucchini mixture.
  
• Add water to adjust consistency. Add salt, chilli powder.Stir in and cook for few minutes till oil floats on top.
• Turn off the stove .
• Serve dal with Rice or any entree of your choice.
  

Tips: 

• Use green chillies or red chilli powder depending on your preference.

Related Recipes:

• Thotakura Pappu ( Amaranth Dal)
• Raw Mango Dal ( Mamidikaya pappu)
• Cucumber Dal ( Dosakaya Pappu)
• Zucchini tomato curry
• Zucchini Tofu curry