Dalcha

This is a Hyderabadi dish and can be a kaddu( lauki ) dalcha or baigan dalcha. It goes well with jeera rice for dinner. If I am really in a 'cooking' mood ( which doesnt happen very often) I also make alu fry as an accompaniment otherwise just fry some papads. I prefer the kaddu dalcha( lauki or bottle guard) better simply for the reason that I dont like baigan ( eggplant) much. But last night I made the baigan ka dalcha when I saw some fresh eggplants at the vege shop.

You will need:

1/2 cup - chana dal
1/2 cup - toor dal
2-3 long eggplants or half lauki cut into not too small pieces
1 lemon size ball of tamarind ( I use the ready made tamarind paste -I love convenience ! )
a few curry leaves
1 or 2 green chiliies
1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste ( again I use ready made ones available in Indian grocery stores)
1 tsp chilli pdr
1/2 tsp turmeric pdr
2 tbsp cooking oil
1 tsp jeera ( cumin )
salt

Pressure cook the dals together. add 2 cups of water, slit green chillies, curry leaves, tamarind juice and let it boil. On the other side, heat a pan and add oil. put jeera and let it splutter then add baigan or lauki pieces and stir. Add ginger garlic paste, turmeric, red chilli pdr and stir and leave it for a 2-3 mins. Now add the boiling daal in it, salt to taste and let it simmer on low heat for 10 - 15 mins or untill the oil floats on top. I also add a one inch stick of dalchini( cinnamon) just before switching off the stove and cover it - it gives a nice flavour.