Snakegourd is a creeper belonging to cucumber family.  It is widely grown in many parts of the world and has got high medicinal properties.  It is rich in water contents and provides cooling effect to our body.  It is a low calorie vegetable and is rich in calcium, magnesium and phosphorous.

This is a recipe snakegourd curry native to Palakkad.  The preparation is very simple and tastes great with chapati / rice.  Cook the dal for one whistle adding turmeric power, red chilly power, chopped onion. Then add snake gourd to it and cook again for some time. Then add ground coconut mixture and finally the tempered ingredients.  Now to the recipe..

Ingredients required

moongdal (split)  – 1 cup

onion   – 1/4 cup

green chilli – 2

turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp

red chilli powder  – 1 tsp

salt – to taste

snake gourd / padavalanga – 2 cups (chopped)

For grinding

coconut –  1/2 cup

jeerakam / cumin – 1/2 tsp

For seasoning

coconut oil  – 1 tablespoon

mustard seeds – 1 tsp

curry leaves – few

dry red chilli  – 2

Technique

1.  Wash moong dal (split) twice and add it to pressure cooker.  To this add turmeric powder, onion, green chilly and chilly powder.  Add required amount of water and mix well.  Cover and pressure cook for 1 whistle.

2.  Once the pressure subsides, open the pressure cooker, mix well.  Add chopped snake gourd pieces to it.  Mix it, add more water if required.  Next add salt. Turn on the flame and let it cook till the snake gourd pieces get cooked well.

3.  Meanwhile, grind together coconut and jeera to a fine paste by adding little water.

4.  Once the snakegourd pieces are cooked well, reduce the flame to low, and then add the ground mixture.  Wait till it starts boiling and then turn off the stove.

5.  In another pan, heat oil, splutter mustard seeds.  Then add red chilly and curry leaves and saute for a few seconds.

6.  Add the tempered ingredients to the curry.

7.  Snake gourd curry is ready.  This can be served with rice and also with chapathi / roti.

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