Today’s recipe is another snake gourd curry that my mother occasionally makes.

Dhal with Snake gourd

Time taken: 30 mins

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• Mysore dhal – ½ cup
• Pudalangai/ Snake gourd – ½ cup, chopped
• Green chillies – 2
• Onion – ½
• Fennel seeds – 1 tsp
• Curry leaves – 1 sprig
• Rampe leaf/ pandan – 1 or 2 inch
• Coconut milk – ¼ cup (optional)
• Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
• Crushed chillies – 1 tsp
• Pepper – ½ tsp
• Salt, to taste
• Low fat oil – 2 tbsp

Method:

1. Clean the snake gourd and finely chop it.
2. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the chopped onion, green chillies, fennel seeds for a minute before adding the finely chopped snake gourd, curry leaves and rampe leaf. Cook for about 5 mins over low heat.
3. Rinse the dhal and add the dhal to the pan. Stir and add a cup of water and let the dhal and snake gourd cook.
4. Once the water has almost dried up and the vegetables have been cooked, add coconut milk. If you do not wish to use coconut milk due to cholesterol issues, simply add a ¼ cup of water or any alternative non-dairy milk of preference instead.
5. Add the turmeric powder, crushed chillies, pepper and salt to taste to the pan. Mix well and cook for about 5 mins.
6. Serve warm with rice.

Recipe source: Raji Thillainathan.