Pudalangai Poriyal / Snakegourd Curry with Milk

        Snakegourd  or pudalangai, is so called because it looks like snake, can grow from foot to six feet in length. Snake gourd belongs to cucumber family, widely grown in India, Thailand, Nigeria and Australia. This is quite a popular vegetable in Indian cooking. In North India, they cooked with dal(Lentil Soups). In South India, they make it as dry curries, gravies and raitha  It is  high in water content,  low in calories, fat free but filling and great to include in weight loss diets.
    Coming to this recipe, they are cooked with spices, coconut and milk. This flavorful curry is a good accompaniment for rasam rice or dal rice or puli kulambu. Try this recipe and let me know your feedback.



     Ingredients

          1 Snake Gourd, Medium Size
          2 Tbsp of Chopped Red Onion
          1/2 Tsp of Turmeric Powder
          1 Tsp of Red Chilly Powder
          1 Tbsp of Dried Coconut Flakes
          3 Tbsp of Milk (2%)
          Salt to Taste

     To Temper

          2 Tsp of Oil
          1 Red Chilly
          1 Tsp of Mustard
          1 Tsp of Urad Dal
          1 Sprig of Curry Leaves
         

     Method

• Wash the snake gourd in the cold tap water. Cut it into 2 halves. Slit the chopped pieces and remove the white centre part of the seeds using hand or with spoon and discard it. Chop the vegetables into small pieces.
• Heat a pan with oil, add red chilly (Break it), mustard seeds, urad dal, curry leaves, after it splutter, add the chopped onion, fry for 2 mins until it turns golden brown.
• Then add chopped snake gourd, turmeric powder, red chilly powder and salt. Saute for a min. Sprinkle some water and cover the pan with a lid and cook it in a medium high flame for 5 mins or until it turns soft.
• Open the lid, add the dried coconut flakes, saute for a min.
• Finally add the milk, mix well with the veggie, cook for a min and turn off the flame.
• Enjoy the snake gourd curry with rice.

   Tips

• Best accompaniment for this curry is Kara Kulambu or Puli Kulambu. or Rasam
• You can use either dried coconut flakes or the fresh coconut.
• Use coconut milk instead of 2% Cow's milk.
• Addionally you can add jeera or cumin for tempering.
• Use coconut oil or vegetable oil for cooking this curry.

   Health Benefits of Snake Gourd

• Snake gourd juice is a effective treatment  for dandruff.
• It has been found that it's leaves are useful for treating jaundice and palpitations(Irregular Heart Beat)
• Snake Gourd has high in water content and has a cooling effect on the body.
• It has lot of fibers, which helps in digestive tract healthy and also good for diabetes.
• Good source for magnesium, calcium and phosphorous.