~Recipe Credit: Mummy Bobat~

Ingredients
Dhoodi:

• Dhoodi / lauki / bottle gourd (roughly weighing 500g)
• 3 tbsps oil
• 3/4 tsp ginger garlic (1/2 measuring tsp)
• 3/4 tsp coriander powder (1/2 measuring tsp)
• 1 tsp red chilli or to taste
• 3/4 tsp cumin powder (1/2 measuring tsp)
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder (1/4 measuring tsp)
• 1/3 cup grounded tin tomato
• salt to taste
• 1 cup water (may need more)
• Garnish with coriander

Khichri:

• 1/4 medium onion (finely sliced)
• 1 heaped tbsp ghee
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1/2 cup toor dhal (soak for an hour- skip this if you are not serving immediately )
• 1 cup rice (soak for an hour – skip this if you are not serving immediately )
• 1 1/2 tsps salt (1 measuring tsp)
• 3/4 tsps turmeric powder (1/2 measuring tsp)
• 3 cups water

Method

1. Recite Bismillah
2. Peel & wash the bottle gourd. Cut into desired sized cubes.
3. Add all the ingredients in the pot except the water.
4. Cook till oil releases.
5. Add the water & cook till the bottle gourd is tender. You will need more water as the water reduces. Keep topping it up . Garnish with coriander.
6. Prepare the khichri by frying onions in ghee & oil till they are pinkish. Turn off the heat.
7. Add remaining ingredients.
8. 45 mins before serving, cook the rice on high heat, on medium flame till it comes to a boil.
9. Then lower the heat & cook till water reduces till you can see the rice. There should still be water in the pot. The more softer & mushier you want the khichri, the more water you will leave inside.
10. Place a flat skillet underneath the pot & cook till water evaporates & khichri is cooked. This should take about 20-25 mins.
11. Serve with dhoodhi. Enjoy!

Tip: You can judge how much turmeric the khichri needs by looking at the colour of the water, it should look “yellow”.