I have always been quite fond of pudalangai/ snake gourd (scientific name: trichosanthes cucumerina). While it is cooked in different ways, my favourite is pudalangai kulambu – the recipe of which I will share when my mother cooks it. In the meantime, here is my mother’s recipe for fried snake gourd.

Pudalangai Varai/ Fried Snake gourd

Time taken: 20 mins

Serves 3

Ingredients:

• Pudalangai/ Snake gourd – ½ cup, chopped
• Red chillies – 1 or 2
• Onion – ½
• Fennel seeds – 1 tsp
• Curry leaves – 1 sprig
• Crushed garlic – 1 tsp
• Coconut – 2 tbsp, freshly scraped
• Turmeric – ¼ tsp
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Low fat oil – 1 tbsp

Method:

1. Clean the snake gourd and chop it up finely. Mix some salt and keep aside.
2. Heat a tbsp oil in a pan and fry the chopped red chillies, onion, fennel seeds and curry leaves for 2 mins.
3. Add the finely chopped and salted snake gourd to the pan and continue stir-frying for 5 mins.
4. Add 1 cup of water and season with salt to the pan. Cover and let the snake gourd cook till the water dries up.
5. Remove the cover and add the crushed garlic, freshly scraped coconut and turmeric powder. Season with salt and pepper, as per your taste. Mix well and let it cook for 2 mins.
6. Serve hot with rice.

Recipe source: Raji Thillainathan.