PUDALANGAI KOOTU (SNAKE GOURD KOOTU)

Pudalangai is a versatile vegetable which can be cooked in many ways.

Preparation Time: 10 mts Cooking Time: 30 mts Serves: 2

Ingredients:

Pudalangai - 250 gms

Bengal gram dal (kadalai paruppu) - 1 tbsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Black gram dal (ulundu paruppu) - 1/2 tsp

Asafoetida powder - 1/4 tsp

Curry leaves - 1 tsp

Refined oil - 1 tbsp

To grind:

Coconut scrapings - 1/2 cup

Green chilies - 3 nos

Cumin seeds (jeera) - 1/2 tsp

Method:

Grind the coconut & other ingredients to a smooth paste. Soak the kadalai paruppu in a little water. Cut the pudalangai in to small pieces. Put the chopped pudalangai & the soaked dal in a pan. Add enough water, turmeric powder & salt. Cook it on low heat till it gets cooked. Add the ground paste & mix well. Let it simmer for sometime till the raw smell goes off. Heat oil in a pan & fry the mustard seeds. Add the urud dal & fry till it becomes brown in colour & add the asafoetida powder & curry leaves. Pour it on top of the pudalangai & mix it well. Pudalangai kootu is ready. This kootu will be good with sambar & rasam as a side dish.

Variations:

This kootu can be made with pumpkin, chow-chow, cabbage, broad beans, string beans etc. We can use red chilies instead of green chilies.

Tips:

1. While boiling the pudalangai, add just enough water to soak the vegetable. This kootu is thick in consistency because it is a side dish.
2. Heap the kadalai paruppu in the center & cover it with the pudalangai & boil it.
3. If the kootu becomes watery, add a little rice flour to thicken it.

Taste it & enjoy.