Lao diye kacha moong daal (Bottle gourd in moong daal)

A very famous Bengali daal. Seasonal veggies like carrot OR raddish OR drumstick can be used for this preparation. It is very healthy for kids too.

Ingredients:
Moong daal- 1/2 cup, washed and soaked in water for 20 minutes
Bottle gourd- 250 gms ( I usually like picking up baby bottle gourds for this preparation), peeled and cut into 1inch cubes
Ginger- 2 inch, peeled and grated
Radhuni (ajmod/wild celery seed)- 1 teaspoon OR you can replace with Jeera in case you cant find radhuni
Ghee- 1 tablespoon
Dry Red Chilli- 2 to 3
Dry Red Chilli Powder- 1/2 teaspoon
Turmeric- 1/4th teaspoon
Sugar- 1 teaspoon OR you can add a lime sized portion of jaggery
Salt as per taste (would use about a teaspoon and a half in my case)
Small bunch of corriander leaves, finely chopped.

Preparation:

In a pressure cooker add the daal with 1 1/2 cups of water, the vegetable, grated ginger, turmeric, salt and sugar.

Cook daal in medium flame till the release of 2 whistles. Switch off and set the cooker aside to cool.

Open lid and mix the daal carefully to ensure that the veggies are not mixing in with the daal. They need to be chunk sizes when being served. Taste salt and also mix water at this point in case the concoction looks very thick.

Simmer the flame and place cooker without lid on the stove.

Simultaneously in a small vessel heat the ghee, when warm add the radhuni (OR cummin seeds). When the seeds splutter add the whole red chillies and the red chilli powder. Switch off the flame immediately and carefully add the chaounk to the daal.

Switch off the flame and put the cooker lid. allow to stand for a couple of minutes.

Remove daal in a serving bowl. Add the corriander leaves as a garnish. Serve with steam rice.