Instructions: Heat the oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds.

When they pop add the ginger and garlic pastes.

Stir in the lentils and the gourd after a minute and fry well.

Add the rest of the ingredients except the garam masala cover and cook until the lentils are soft.

Sprinkle the garam masala over and mix gently.

Serve hot with poories.

Here bottle gourd is combined with gram lentils in a classic north indian recipe. (Bottle gourds are available at all indian grocers ) This vegetable curry tastes very good with indian breads and pleasantly disguises the blandness of the gourd.

Serves 4

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