Healthy Lauki Sambar for Weight Loss

Step 1: Prepare Dal and Vegetables for Pressure Cooking

Add 1 cup of Toor dal to a pressure cooker. Add enough water to cover the dal. Peel and chop 1 medium bottle gourd into cubes. Add the chopped bottle gourd, 2 chopped tomatoes, 2-3 slit green chilies, and 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder to the pressure cooker. Mix well.

Step 2: Pressure Cook the Ingredients

Close the pressure cooker with its lid and weight. Cook for 2-3 whistles or until the dal and vegetables are soft and well-cooked. Once cooked, let the pressure release naturally. Open the cooker and gently mash the dal and vegetables with a ladle.

Step 3: Add Tamarind Pulp and Salt

Transfer the cooked dal and vegetable mixture to a serving pot. Add 1-2 tablespoons of tamarind pulp and salt to taste. Mix thoroughly.

Step 4: Prepare the Tempering

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a separate small pan (tadka pan) on medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add 1/2 teaspoon of mustard seeds and let them splutter. Then add 1 teaspoon of urad dal, 1/2 teaspoon of cumin seeds, and 2-3 dried red chilies. Sauté until the urad dal turns golden brown.

Step 5: Add Aromatics and Sambar Powder

Add 3-4 sliced garlic cloves, 5-6 halved or quartered small onions (shallots), and 1 sprig of curry leaves to the tempering pan. Sauté until the onions turn translucent. Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon of Hing (asafoetida) and 2 tablespoons of sambar powder. Mix well and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant.

Step 6: Combine and Garnish

Pour the prepared tempering over the sambar in the serving pot. Mix gently to combine all the flavors. Garnish with fresh chopped coriander leaves and optional ginger juliennes. Your tasty Lauki Sambar is ready to serve.

• Adjust the amount of green chilies and sambar powder according to your spice preference.

• For a thicker sambar, mash the dal and vegetables more thoroughly.

• Serve hot with steamed rice, idli, dosa, or vada.

• Add other vegetables like drumsticks, carrots, or pumpkin for more variety.

• For a richer flavor, use ghee instead of oil for tempering.