Methi Dal with Bitter gourd seasoning:

I have harvested fresh bitter gourd from my green patch and I wanted to use them as fresh as possible.

So, the result is this dal. If you like methi leaves and bitter gourd, this is a must try dish. It surprisingly tasted really great and pairs really well with hot rice as well as Whole wheat roti.

In this recipe, I did two seasonings. At initial stage of cooking as well as at the end stage.

Ingredients:

Toor dal – ½ cup

Chana dal /Bengal gram dal – ½ cup

Moong dal/green gram – ½ cup

Tomato – 1

Tamarind paste – ½  teaspoon

Salt

Coriander leaves – to garnish.

For first seasoning:

Oil – 1 table spoon ,Cumin – ½ teaspoon, Hing – ¼ tsp, Crushed garlic -7 to 8,Green chillies – 4 to 5, Curry leaves – 1 spring and Methi leaves – 1  fistful.

For Second seasoning:

Ghee – 1 table spoon, Bitter gourd – 1, red chilli powder – ½ tsp and curry leaves – 1 spring.

Method:

• Wash all the three dals and cook. I usually fry Moong dal before washing. If you like to fry, u can do that or use as it is.
• Cook this in cooker by adding sufficient water, little turmeric and drop of oil.
• Wash bitter gourd, chop this into bite size pieces and mix in little salt and keep aside.
• Chop tomatoes, methi leaves, green chillies and coriander leaves.
• Now do the first seasoning, take one thick vessel (I usually use clay pot), pour oil, when it is hot, add cumin, hing, crushed garlic, green chillies and curry leaves and fry for a while.
• Next add methi leaves and fry until it wilts.
• Add tomatoes, while frying add salt and cook till tomato becomes mushy.
• Add cooked dal, tamarind paste, required amount of water and boil.
• Once again, do the seasoning. Take all the materials under second seasoning.
• Heat the ghee, add salted bitter gourd bits and fry until it becomes brown, and Switch off the gas. Add red chilli powder, curry leaves to this hot ghee and pour this seasoning over the dal.
• Garnish with coriander leaves.

Enjoy this dal with Rice or Roti.