A simple meal, the way Grandma would make it.
Not every memorable meal needs paneer, cream or twenty different spices.
Sometimes it's a bowl of Lauki Chana Dal, a hot phulka and a cold glass of Masala Chaas that makes you feel most at home. ❤️
And if Grandma were standing beside you in the kitchen, she'd probably say:
"Achha khana woh hai jo pet bhi bhare aur mann bhi."
Good food should satisfy both your stomach and your heart.
Today, that's exactly what we're making.
🥒 First, the Lauki Chana Dal
For a family-sized pot, you'll need 1 medium lauki (bottle gourd), 1 cup chana dal, 1 tomato, ginger, green chilli, turmeric, cumin seeds, asafoetida (hing), red chilli powder, coriander powder, salt, fresh coriander, lemon and a little ghee or oil.
Before anything else, wash your chana dal and soak it for around 30 minutes.
👵 Grandma's Secret #1: Don't skip the soaking
"Dal ko thoda waqt do."
Soaking isn't just something Grandma did while preparing everything else. It helps the chana dal cook more evenly while still retaining a little texture.
And that's important here — we don't want the chana dal disappearing completely into the lauki.
Peel your lauki, cut it into bite-sized cubes and keep it ready.
👵 Grandma's Secret #2: Taste your Lauki!
Before putting the whole thing into your pot, taste a tiny raw piece of the lauki.
If it's unusually bitter, don't use it.
That's one old kitchen habit worth remembering.
Now add the soaked chana dal, lauki, chopped tomato, turmeric, salt, ginger and green chilli to your pressure cooker.
Add enough water to cook everything comfortably — but don't drown it.
Cook until the dal is tender and the lauki is beautifully soft.
Open the cooker.
Too thick? Add a splash of hot water.
Too thin?
Grandma isn't reaching for cornflour. 😄
Just simmer it uncovered for a few minutes.
🔥 Now comes the part that changes everything — Tadka
Heat a spoonful of ghee in a small tadka pan.
Add cumin seeds.
Let them crackle.
Then add a pinch of hing and some dried red chilli. You can add a little red chilli powder too — but take the pan off the heat first so it doesn't burn.
Now pour that sizzling tadka straight over your dal.
That sound. That smell.
That's when everyone mysteriously starts appearing in the kitchen. 😄
👵 Grandma's Secret #3: Don't stir immediately
Pour the tadka over the dal and leave it sitting on top for a few moments.
Let that hot ghee and those toasted spices release their aroma before gently stirring everything together.
Finish with fresh coriander and a squeeze of lemon if you like a little brightness.
Your Lauki Chana Dal is ready.
But Grandma isn't finished yet...
🥛 Masala Chaas — because the meal needs a companion
Take 1 cup plain yoghurt and whisk it until completely smooth.
Add around 2–3 cups cold water, depending on how light you like your chaas.
Now add:
Roasted cumin powder, black salt, regular salt, finely chopped coriander, a little grated ginger and some green chilli if you like it spicy.
Whisk until slightly frothy.
👵 Grandma's Secret #4: Roast your Jeera
Don't underestimate this little step.
Dry-roast cumin seeds until fragrant, allow them to cool and then crush them.
That freshly roasted jeera gives chaas a completely different aroma compared with simply opening a packet of cumin powder.
And Grandma might add one more thing...
A few fresh mint leaves, crushed between the fingers before they go in. 🌿
Chill it until you're ready to eat.
👵 Grandma's Secret #5: Chaas shouldn't fight with your food
Don't make it too thick, too salty or overloaded with masala.
Chaas is supposed to refresh your palate between bites, not become another curry in the glass.
Keep it light.
🍽️ Now make yourself a proper plate
A generous bowl of steaming Lauki Chana Dal.
Two hot phulkas or rotis.
Maybe some sliced onion and achar on the side.
And a tall, cold glass of Masala Chaas.
Nothing fancy.
Nothing complicated.
But somehow...
exactly what you wanted. ❤️
👵 Grandma's final Kitchen Secret
"Har roz restaurant jaisa khana nahi chahiye. Kabhi kabhi ghar jaisa khana hi sabse achha hota hai."
You don't need restaurant-style food every day. Sometimes the best food is simply food that tastes like home.
💚 Kitchen Secrets by Curry Kart
Through Kitchen Secrets, we're celebrating the little recipes, techniques and "Dadi/Nani ke nuskhe" that have travelled through generations of Indian kitchens.
And if today's recipe has made you realise you're missing some key ingredients, shop them directly:
- 🥒 Doodhi (Bottle Gourd)
- 🫘 Heera Chana Dal
- 🌿 Vandevi Hing (Asafoetida)
- 🧈 Amul Pure Ghee
- 🌾 Heera Cumin Powder
Curry Kart
🏡 Your Indian Kitchen Starts Here.
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