Snake Gourd (Pudalankai) and Bengal Gram Kootu

Snake Gourd (Pudalankai in Tamil) is a commonly available vegetable. Pudalankai Kootu is simple to prepare and goes well with Rice, Chappati, Bread.

Serves: 6

Cooking time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

• Snake guard (Pudalankai) – 500 gram
• Bengal gram – 1 cup
• Tomato – 1 no
• Onion – 1 no
• Garlic – 4 pods
• Turmeric powder – ¼ tea spoon
• Cooking oil – 1 tea spoon
• Salt – as per taste
• For wet grinding
  • Coconut grated – 2 table spoon
  • Coriander seeds – 1 tea spoon
  • Aniseeds – ½ tea spoon
  • Cumin seeds – ½ tea spoon
  • Pepper – ½ tea spoon
  • Red chilli – 2 no
• For seasoning
  • Mustard – ½ tea spoon
  • Urad dal – ½ tea spoon
  • Asafetida – pinch
  • Curry leaves – few

Method

• Chop garlic, tomato; wash and boil Bengal gram dal with turmeric powder, chopped garlic, tomato and few drops of oil in a pressure cooker till dal is soft.
• Chop onion and snake gourd nicely and keep aside.
• Fry items given for wet grinding with few drops of oil in a pan; cool and grind it with some water to a paste.
• Heat a pan with oil and do the seasoning; add chopped onion and fry till onion is transparent.
• Now add chopped snake gourd, salt, pinch of turmeric powder and stir for 2 minutes; add half cup water, cover and cook in low flame till snake gourd becomes soft; add wet ground masala, boiled dal and mix well; cook for 3 to 5 minutes.
• Now Snake Gourd (Pudalankai) and Bengal Gram Kootu is ready. Serve hot with Rice or Chappati.

Tips

• In chopped snake gourd add little turmeric powder, pinch of salt, mix well and keep for 10 minutes minimum. Drain accumulated water. This helps to cook snake gourd faster.