Zuchini dal

Ability is what you're capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it. - Lou Holtz

Whenever I happen to go to vegetable market, I used to wonder how to cook zuchini, especially using zuchini in the Indian cooking. Atlast, I took the courage and brought the zuchini home. I decided to make zuchini dal as i was missing dosakaya (cucumber pickle). The dal came out well, worth a try different from other dals.

Ingredients


Moong dal - 3/4 cup
Zuchini - 1 (peeled and chopped into small pieces)
Tuvar/ Toor dal - 1/4 cup
Tomato - 1 (chopped)
Tamarind - 1 inch( Soak it and extract the juice from that)
Garlic cloves - 4
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
Green chillies - 5 ( chopped into small pieces). This is according to ones spice level.
Coriander leaves to garnish
Salt to taste
Onion - small (chopped)

For Seasoning


Oil - 1tbsp
Cumin seeds - 1tsp
Mustard seeds - 1tsp
Red chillies -1 medium size
Hing or asafaetodia a pinch
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp

Method:-
Wash the 2 dals above mentioned and add pinch of turmeric powder, cumin powder, garlic cloves , green chilles. Pressure cook the dal until the dal is cooked and is soft.
Now heat some oil in a pan. Add the seasoning, Add chopped onions. When they become little brown, add zuchini to it. Cook for 3 minutes with the close lid. Check in between and mix well so that the zuchini does not stick to the pan.
Now add tomatoes and cook under closed lid for about 5 minutes.
When the tomatoes are cooked at the same time when the zuchini is cooked, at that time add the dal with some water and tamarind extract.

When the dal is starting to get boil add salt. Check the spice, if it is less add the red chilli powder. Boil it for a minute and switch off the stove. Before serving garnish with the coriander leaves.