An easy, healthy and tasty soup made with bottle gourd and masoor dal.
Ingredients
- Chopped bottle gourd (dudhi/lauki): 2 cups
- Masoor dal (red lentils): 2 tsp
- Chopped onion: 2 tsp
- Bay leaf (tej patta): 1
- Cinnamon (dalchini): 1-inch piece
- Cloves (lavang): 4
- Black peppercorns: 4–6
- Garlic cloves: 2
- Butter: 1/2 tsp (optional)
- Milk: 1 cup (at room temperature)
- Water: 1 cup
- Sugar: 1/4 tsp
- Salt: 1 tsp, or to taste
- Chopped spring onion, for garnishing
Method
- Put the bottle gourd, masoor dal, onion and garlic in a pressure cooker.
- Add the bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves and black pepper.
- Add the sugar and salt. Add enough water to cover all the ingredients.
- Pressure cook for 2 whistles and let the cooker cool.
- Remove the whole spices; their lovely aroma stays in the mixture.
- Grind the mixture in a mixer until very smooth.
- Transfer it to a pan and add the butter. Add water if it is too thick.
- Bring it to a boil.
- Add the milk and turn off the heat after 1 or 2 minutes. Do not let it boil. Adjust the amount of milk for the consistency you like.
- Add more salt if needed.
Garnish with chopped spring onion and enjoy this hot, creamy and healthy soup!
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