Snake Gourd (Pudalankai ) Stew (Kootu)

Snake gourd is a rare sight in the Indian stores. I buy it as often as I can when it is available in the market. You can make a side dish by just sautéing or a kootu. Kootu in Tamil means to add or multiply. Here, it is to add something (like pulses) to the vegetable and make it like dal. It is thicker than sambar and can be eaten with rice or roti. Yesterday I made Kootu with snake gourd. A friend of mine said that it is one of her favorite South Indian dishes. I'm posting this recipe for her. 

Ingredients:

1 Snake gourd, seeded and chopped (about 2 cups)

1 small round eggplant or potato, chopped

1/4 toor dal, pressure cooked (would yield 1/2 cup cooked dal)

1/2 teaspoon channa dal

1/2 teaspoon raw peanuts (optional)

Mustard seeds, urad dal, dried red chili and curry leaves for seasoning

1/2 teaspoon sambar powder

For Spice Powder:

1/2 teaspoon coriander 

1/2 teaspoon channa dal

4 dried red chili (adjust to taste)

pinch asafoetida

Method:

1. Pressure cook snake gourd and eggplant in little water with channa dal, peanut, sambar powder, 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder, and little salt (3 whistles). Pressure cook toor dal with 3/4 cup water. Allow to cool.

2. Meanwhile, roast the ingredients for spice powder with 1 teaspoon oil, and powder in a blender.

3. Heat 1 teaspoon coconut oil in a 2 quart saucepan over medium flame. Temper mustard seeds, urad dal, and curry leaves. Lower the heat. Add cooked vegetable, mashed toor dal, and 1 tablespoon of the powdered spice. Simmer for 2 minutes. Check for salt.

                                                               

 Serve hot over rice or with roti. I served it over quinoa today, along with sweet potato roast as a side. 

                                                

 Notes: 

Since snake gourd leaves water, adding potato or egg plant thickens the dish. 

Other vegetables that can be made with this process are: Indian purple eggplant, winter melon, bitter melon.