Zucchini Dal

Zucchini or courgette is one vegetable that is available all year around. This healthy squash vegetable has high nutritional value as it's packed full of essential vitamins and nutrients and helps maintaining a strong immune system. Zucchini can be incorporated into our Indian food in different ways and this masoor dal with zucchini is one such simple and quick recipe.
Zucchini is quite a bland vegetable and the tempering of panch phoron (five spice mix) and kasuri methi, adds a good flavor to the dal and zucchini. Panch phoron is flavorful spice blend of cumin, fennel, mustard, nigella and fenegreek seeds in equal proportions. This dal can be prepared with toor dal or moong dal too. Zucchini dal can be served with plain rice, jeera rice or chapathi/roti and any sabji / stir-fry.

ZUCCHINI DAL RECIPE

{ Lentils with zucchini tempered with panch phoron / five spice mix }
Serves 2

Ingredients:
¼ cup masoor dal
1 small tomato, chopped
2 tsp oil
1 tsp ghee
1 tsp panch phoron
1 small onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
½-inch ginger, finely chopped
1-2 green chillies, finely chopped
1 medium zucchini, cut into cubes
¼ tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp coriander powder
¼ tsp red chilly powder
1 tsp kasuri methi / dried fenugreek leaves
¼ tsp sugar
Salt to taste
1 tbsp coriander leaves, finely chopped
Method:
1. Wash the dal well and pressure cook with tomato, ½ cup water for 3 whistles. Open and mash the dal well.
2. Heat oil and ghee in a kadai. Add the panch phoron and allow it to crackle. Add the onion and fry till they become soft.
3. Add garlic, ginger, green chillies and fry for a minute. Then add zucchini, turmeric powder, coriander powder, red chilly powder, kasuri methi, sugar and mix well.
4. Fry in medium flame until the zucchini has become soft. Now add dal, 1 cup water, salt and mix well. Cook for another 3-4 minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves.
Serving Suggestion ~ Rice and chapathi / roti. Zucchini Dal