This post contains affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy.
Pigeon Pea Soup with Opo Squash/Bottle Gourd (Lauki Waali Toor Dal) Vegan Recipe. Jump to Recipe
Yay, it is that time of the month again! November is Squashlove month! and We are having a blog hop all through november for yumm squash dishes!
I am starting off squash love with my mom’s dal recipe with Lauki (opo squash/bottle gourd).. A simple thick soup, can be served as is with some crusty bread, or with Basmati rice or as a side in an Indian meal with flat bread(roti), pickles and a dry veggie preparation(subzi).
Opo Squash/Calabash/bottle gourd/Long melon/Lauki/Doodhi is a vine grown for its fruit, which can either be harvested young and used as a vegetable, or harvested mature, dried, and used as a bottle, utensil, or pipe. For this reason, the calabash is widely known as the bottle gourd.
A Note about spices used for tempering(Tadka) Indian Daal soups. The same Daal/lentil/beans can pick up a completely different taste with different spices. Here are some combinations I use, Fennel (Saunf) and Nigella (kalonji)seeds compliment each other, or a combination of mustard and cumin seeds, or mustard and coriander seeds, or cumin and carom(Ajwain) seeds. For other variations, add a bay leaf and a clove(Laung) or 2, Or some garam masala. Garnish with fresh cilantro, or shredded coconut or lemon juice. I like fennel with whole lentils,(red and mung bean). and coriander and mustard in yellow lentils.
Some other daals(lentil or bean soups) already posted, all under the label Daal. Some of the faves Yellow Lentil Daal, 3 Lentil Daal soup and Mung Bean Daal tempered with Burnt garlic!
Pigeon Pea Soup with Opo Squash/Bottle Gourd (Lauki Waali Toor Dal)
Pigeon Pea Soup with Opo Squash/Bottle Gourd (Lauki Waali Toor Dal) Vegan Recipe.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup split Toor daal, (split and skinless pigeon pea(pigeon pea can be substituted with any split peas or Mung daal, petite yellow lentils))
- 2 cups opo squash/lauki cubed, (found in indian stores or asian supermarkets, can be substituted with a different mild flavored squash like zucchini)
- 2 cups water
Tempering/Tadka:
- 1 teaspoon oil
- 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds, (Raee)
- 1/4 teaspoon nigella seeds, (Kalonji seeds)
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
- pinch of asofetida, (hing)
- 5 curry leaves, (you can find these fresh or frozen in any Indian store. If you dont have these, substitute with one bay leaf)
- 1/2 Serrano chili pepper or chili flakes to taste, (quantity by heat level of the pepper. The current organic Serrano we get are extremely hot)
- 4-5 cloves of garlic chopped
- 1 inch ginger finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/4 teaspoon raw sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
- Cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Soak the lentils in warm water for an hour.
- In a pressure cooker or pan, heat the oil on medium heat until hot on medium heat.
- Add mustard(raee) seeds and after a few seconds of sputtering, add cumin(jeera) and nigella(Kalonji) seeds.
- Add in the asofetida(hing) and curry leaves and mix.
- Add in the chili, turmeric, ginger and garlic and cook till garlic is golden brown.(1-2 minutes)
- Add in squash and rinsed soaked daal(pigeon pea), water, salt, 1/4 teaspoon sugar(optional). You can also add in 1 medium tomato, chopped.
- Mix well. Cook for 2 whistles in pressure cooker(15 minutes on high pressure) or Cook covered for 30-35 minutes if in pan.
- Serve hot garnished with cilantro and lime wedges. Serve with basmati rice or as a side with Roti, pickles, vegetable stir fry dishes and a salad of onions and cucumbers tossed in lemon juice, salt and black pepper!. Theres your complete indian meal!
- Serve as soup with warm poppy dinner rolls with lime juice, olive oil, and garam masala garnish. Comfort food on a cool evening!. Have an awesome day everyone!
Notes
Nutritional value is based on 1 serving
Nutrition
Calories: 79kcal, Carbohydrates: 14g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 1g, Sodium: 447mg, Potassium: 354mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 895IU, Vitamin C: 41.2mg, Calcium: 44mg, Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this recipe? Rate and comment below!
I am co-hosting this blog hop along with
Baker Street | Anuradha : @bakerstreet29
Bloc De Recetas | Salomé : @blocderecetas
Bon à croquer | Valerie : @valouth
Cafe Terra Blog | Terra : @cafeterrablog
Cake Duchess | Lora : @cakeduchess
Elephant Eats | Amy
Food Wanderings | Shulie : @foodwanderings
Hobby and More | Richa : @betit19
Georgie Cakes | Gorgie : @georgiecakes
Mike’s Baking | Mike : @mikesbaking
Mis Pensamientos | Junia : @juniakk
My Twisted Recipes | Dudut : @mytwistedrecipe
No One Like Crumbley Cookies | T.R : @TRCrumbley
Queens Notebook | Elizabeth : @mango_queen
Simply Reem | Reem : @simplyreem
Skip To Malou | Malou : @malou_nievera
Teaspoon Of Spice | Serena : @tspcurry
The Daily Palette | Annapet : @thedailypalette
The Professional Palette | Regan : @profpalate
The Spicy RD | EA : @thespicyrd
Vegan Miam | Rika : @veganmiam
Thank you Aipi!
Thankyou Salome and Jen. do let me know when you try it!
This looks creamy and delicious with wonderful flavors! I am definitely going to have to try this!
Jen
Thank you for this vegan recipe, I’ll make it soon! Besos
An all time fav ~ the pics are sensational!
USMasala
Thanks Anh!
Thanks rika. opo swuash is called many different names.. so u might have tried it already.
Thanks Jennifer@OhCake. you can find opo squash in any indian or asian grocery store of supermarket. you can also replace the squash with any not too sweet squash.
This is a fantastic recipe. I love dahl and I can see myself eating a quart of this with some delicious roti. It’s great learning about all the different squash varieties out there too. The bottle gourd isn’t one I’m familiar with where I am on the east coast of the US.
I love your vegan recipes including the squash soup you made! It looked really, really good! The ingredients within the soup was spectacular. I have never tried Opo squash, maybe I have tried it already in Malaysia. Not sure yet, but I’ve seen a lot of squash varieties here.
Lots of squash love for ya!
Love, Rika
Very pretty!! And I like this dish!
Thanks Shulie! love your foodphotography!
Thanks Sylvia and Georgie!
Thanks Valerie, dudut, Mike! Squashlove to u all too!
Thanks Anu, Shaheen, Jay.