Red Lentil-Pumpkin Masala Dal (Masoor- Lal Bhoplyacha Dal).

“Red Lentil-Pumpkin Masala Dal (Masoor- Lal Bhoplyacha Dal)” … breaking free from routine dishes is always a favorite venture … finally prepared this dal with dudde again after a hiatus, almost 3 decades and relived fond memories of days gone by with friends … red pumpkin is a nutrient- dense food that offers plenty of health benefits, so try it, you can be serve it with rice though I prefer with roti/ parathas/ jeera rice … it tastes awesome … Yummilicious ….

** Once again a recipe retrieved from in between the pages of my old diary. There was a time when I prepared this dish often to be served either with jeera rice or ghee rice and rarely with parathas, though I did serve it with phulkas. Change is the necessity of life, be it in any field, including meals. I completely agree that our own traditional dishes that which we savoured growing up are heartwarming and our body does adapt to it much easily. However, there are times when one wants to try out other dishes too.

** I have always loved to try out simple style dishes and this was one dish I learned from my friend around 3 decades back. I have often mentioned in my posts here that it is my long standing wish to completely share all the dishes from my hand written 7 diaries but somehow these days my health does not permit me to do much work. Red Pumpkin has loads of health benefits and must be included into our diet and this is a great recipe for it. I really enjoyed relishing this dish today with parathas after a hiatus.

** There are plenty of healthy recipes included in the Blog with a variety of veggies including red pumpkin which you can browse through in liesure using search/ label option. In case of any query you can leave a comment which I will attend to as and when possible. I know pumpkin is not a favourite of many and we avoid using it and some other veggies too. However, it is important to note that each veggie has its own health benefit and by including different types you will be enjoying a healthy lifestyle for sure.

** Here is my recipe for “Red Lentil-Pumpkin Masala Dal (Masoor- Lal Bhoplyacha Dal)” … my style, do try it, tastes awesome.

** Ingredients :

Masoor Dal/ Red Lentil : 1 cup

Pumpkin/ Dudde/ Lal Bhopla : 250- 300 gms.

Onion/ Piyavu/ Kanda : 1 large sized

Ginger/ Alle’/ Adrak : 1 inch piece

Garlic/ Losun/ Lehsun : 5-6

Green Chilly/ Tarni Mirsanga/ Hari Mirchi : 3-4

Mustard Seeds/ Sasam/ Rai : 1 tsp

Cumin Seeds/ Jeera : 1 tsp

Cinnamon/ Tike Sal : 1 (2 inch piece)

Star Anise : 1

Black Pepper Corns/ Mire/ Miri : 8-10

Curry Leaves/ Kadipatta/ Kadipatta : 8-10 fresh ones

Red Chilly Powder/ Mirchi Tikkat/ Mirsange Pitti : 1 tsp

Turmeric/ Haldi Powder : ¼ tsp

Maharashtrian Goda Masala Powder: 1 tsp

Jaggery Powder/ Goda/ Gud : 1 tblsp

Tamarind paste/ Imly/ Chinchama : 1 tblsp

Salt/ Namak/ Meeta : to taste

Kasuri (Kasoori) Methi/ Dried Fenugreek Leaves : one handful

Coconut Oil/ Nariyal Tel/ Narlel Tela : 3- 4 tblsp

Cow's Ghee/ Toop : 1 tblsp

** Wash and soak masoor dal/ red lentil in plenty of water and soak for 15 minutes. Drain off the water and wash well again, add into a pressure cooker pan along with 2 cups of water and pressure cook on medium heat to 2-3 whistles. Remove and keep it aside for the pressure to release on it own, then remove the cooked dal into a vessel, mix well and keep it aside ready while we go about cooking the veggies.

** Remove inner seeds of red pumpkin/ lal bhopla and cut into 1 to 1.5 piece retaining the skin portion. Rinse well and then add them into a pressure cooker pan and add enough water say to the same level as the pumpkin pieces and then pressure cook on medium heat to 1-2 whistle only. Do not overcook the pumpkin or the taste will be lost. Remove and keep it aside to cool and then keep it aside ready.

** Peel off the skin of onion, garlic, ginger and chop them to fine pieces. Prepare amd keep them aside separately. Keep all the required masala powders and spices ready separately. Rinse kasuri methi in a fine sieve and keep aside ready as we begin the final preparation. I have used Maharashtrian Goda Masala powder here, however you can replace it with any normal garam masala powder too.

** Heat coconut oil (you may use any edible oil you prefer) in a thick bottomed kadai/ pan, when hot add mustard seeds, when they begin to splutter add cumin seeds, cinnamon, star anise, pepper corns and fry for a few seconds. Add curry leaves, finely chopped onion and continue frying until the onion is translucent. Now add finely chopped ginger, garlic, green chilly and continue frying until evenly browned.

** Now add in the turmeric powder, red chilly powder, goda masala or garam masala powder and fry for a minute or two. Do not let it burn the masala powder burn, you may sprinkle some water if necessary to avoid it being burnt. Now add cooked masoor dal and water as required to bring to a thick dal consistency. Mix well and let cook on medium heat until you see bubbles appearing on surface stirring well in between.

** Now add cooked pumpkin pieces, salt to taste, jaggery powder, tamarind paste and mix well, check and add water if necessary and let cook on medium heat for 5-7 minutes stirring often in between. Add kasuri methi, mix well and further cook for 3-4 minutes. Remove from fire, add on top the homemade cow’s ghee/ toop, cover and keep it aside to rest for 20-30 minutes for flavors to be infused well before serving it hot.

** “Red Lentil-Pumpkin Masala Dal (Masoor- Lal Bhoplyacha Dal)” is done and ready to be served. This dal tastes great served with roti/ parathas/ ghee rice/ steamed rice/ jeera rice, however in my home we love to have it with parathas. If you want to serve it with rice you can keep the dal slightly thinner textured then to be served with parathas, off course as is your choice. Do try out this healthy and delicious dal and enjoy with your family and friends. My friends back then always loved it and so will yours.