Snake Gourd In Coconut Gravy / Pudalangai Kootu

Day 2 of Blogging Marathon, and on your tables is the every tasty Pudalangai Kootu or Snake Gourd Kootu. I am a big fan of various kinds of kootu s . I can live on rice or chapatti with kootu for days together. Before I get into the recipe, here is some information about snake gourd and its benefits. Information courtesy Google

The snake gourd (chichinda), also well-known as Chinese cucumber, occupies an essential place amongst healthy vegetables in India.It is an annual plant and belongs to the gourd family Cucurbitaceae. It is of extremely rapid growth and of climbing habit.Snake gourd juice and leaves are often suggested by experts in natural and alternative medicine for treating some common ailments and problems. Snake gourd is mentioned in earliest Ayurveda texts for its medicinal properties.

Nutrients:

Snake gourd consist of important amount of humidity and little protein, fiber, fat and carbohydrate .Its mineral and vitamins contents are calcium, iron, phosphorus, substantial amount of carotene, little thiamine, riboflavin and niacin.

Healthy Benefits:

• Snake gourd is very high in water satisfied and has a cooling effect on the body, hence this summer vegetablethat nature provides in such a timely behavior helps in handling the summer heat.

• Because of its high water substance, snake gourd is low in calories, fat-free but filling, and great to restrain in weight-loss menus.

• Snake gourd also contains a lot of fiber which can help maintain your digestive region healthy. The fiber is also helpful for those with diabetes.

• Snake gourd is a good resource of minerals like magnesium, calcium, and phosphorus.

• Snake gourd helps inspire the production of body fluids, relieving dryness.

• The juice of the fresh leaves of snake gourd is useful in the disorders of the heart like palpitation and pain in the heart on physical effort.

• Snake gourd roots, on the other hand, provide as tonic and purgative. While its juice works as a strong purgative, a dried fruit combination would be a milder purgative that helps indigestion.

• Snake gourd leaves are helpful as a purgative and emetic in constipated children, while its fresh juice works on poorly children through early mornings.

• The juice of snake gourd leaves is helpful in treating alopecia, as well, a scalp sickness that results in partial or total baldness. Despite the health benefits of snake gourd, do remain in mind that its seeds and ripe fruit are laxatives, though, so they might source indigestion if eaten as food.

• This can also be used locally when liver jamming is present. As for remittent fevers, the entire body can be applied with snake gourd.

Now on to the recipe

Ingredients

Snake Gourd - 1/4 kg

Coconut - 1 cup

Green chili - 4 

Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp

Onion - 1 cup sliced

Broken chana Dal - 1/4 cup

Salt to taste

For tempering - curry leaves , mustard seeds and oil

Method

Prep the snake gourd. Srivalli's post on this will help you understand it 

Cut it into small cubes and set aside

Soak the broken chana dal for about 30 mins in hot water

In a pressure pan take the cut snake gourd along with the chana dal and cook for 3 whistles

If you are using a microwave, then cook for 10 mins in high

Do not drain away the water.

In a blender take the coconut, green chili and cumin seeds

Make a thick slightly coarse paste using little water

In a wok, heat oil and then add the mustard seeds followed by the curry leaves

Add the sliced onions and saute well

Now add the boiled snake gourd and the ground paste

Let it cook well until the raw smell is gone

Adjust salt to suit your taste.

This kootu tastes divine with Parupu Podi