Tetor Dal (Karela / Bittergourd Dal / Lentil - Bengali Style)

          
          
                  
          This is a traditional homemade style Bengali delicacy, where fried moong dal (green gram) and raw papaya are cooked with fried bitter melon slices. Having any bitter preparation at the beginning of any meal is generally considered to cleanse the system. Raw papaya can also be substituted with bottle gourd. 

          It is a very common recipe cooked in most of the Bengali household. All bitter melon lovers will definitely relish this dal. Just enjoy it with hot steamed rice. There are many versions to this dal, where it differs slightly from one individual to the other. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it. 

• 1/2 cup moong dal (split yellow / green gram )
• 1/2 cup raw papaya, cubed
• 1 small bitter gourd, sliced
• 3 tbsp. mustard oil
• 2 whole dry red chilies, broken
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 tsp. panch phoron (equal quantity of fennel, mustard, cumin, fenugreek and nigella (kalonji) seeds)
• 1 tsp. ginger, finely chopped
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder 
• 1 tsp. ghee (clarified butter)

          Dry roast the moong dal till light brown. Soak in water for 15-20 minutes. Pressure cook along with the papaya cubes in 1 cup water for 3-4 whistles. Open the lid after it cools down.

          Heat oil and temper with the broken red chilies and panch phoron. After it stops spluttering, add the ginger and bay leaves and sauté for a few seconds.

          Now add the bitter gourd and fry till light brown. Add the boiled dal, salt, turmeric powder and 1/2 cup water.

          Bring it to a boil and simmer on low flame for 2-3 minutes. Add ghee and mix well.  Serve hot with steamed rice.

                          Dry roast moong dal till light brown. Soak in water for 15-20 min.

                             Pressure cook along with papaya cubes in 1 cup water for 3-4 
                             whistles.

                                            Open the lid after it cools down.

                                Temper oil with panch phoron & dry red chilies.

                                Add bay leaves & ginger & sauté for few seconds.

                                Add bitter gourd & fry till light brown.

                       Add boiled dal, salt, water & turmeric powder. Simmer for 2-3 min.

                                 When done, add ghee & serve with plain steamed rice.

                                 Serve hot with plain steamed rice.