Pudalangai Kootu | Snake Gourd Kootu

             Kootu is my favourite one. My Mom cooks really super. This goes very well with white rice. A very easy and tasty one, you can cook in less than 30 mins. So a very good choice to cook when a guest is visiting your home..

Ingredients:

Pudalangai/Snake Gourd – 1 medium size deseeded and finely chopped

Split chick peas / Channa dal  / Kadalai Paruppu  – 1 cup

Split Moong Dal – ¼ cup

Turmeric – 2 pinches

Salt to taste

Curry Leaves

For Grinding

Coconut – ¾ cup

Sombu/Fennel seeds – 1 tbsp.

For Seasoning:

Coconut Oil – 1 tbsp

Mustard – 1 tsp

Curry leaves

Red Chilly – 2 No

Onion – 1 medium (Optional) – I have not added

Tomato – 1 big (Optional) – I have not added

Hing/asafoetida - a pinch

Preparation Method:

1.       Pressure - cook Channa Dal for 4 whistles.

2.       Meanwhile chop snake gourd finely

3.       Take a kadai and dry fry moon dal till you get nice aroma or just for 5 min.

4.       Once the pressure is release, smash the channa dal well

5.       Now add moong dal, finely chopped snake gourd, turmeric, salt and curry leaves a sprig to the cookware and leave it for 2 whistles

6.       Leave the pressure to leave by itself

7.       Now take coconut and Fennel seeds in mixer and grind it coarsely

8.       Add the ground past to the cooked Dal and Sanke Gourd, and bring it to boil for 5 more mins.

9.       Take oil in a pan, add oil into it

10.   Season with the ingredients under seasoning in the same way as mentioned and add into the Kootu.

Health Benefits:

1.       Snake gourd is very high in water content and has a cooling effect on the body, hence it helps in handling the summer heat.

2.       Snake gourd is low in calories, fat-free, and good to include in weight-loss diets.

3.       Even diabetics can include safely to reduce weight by getting enough nutrition.

4.       It is rich in fiber to keep your digestive system healthy, wards off constipation with ease.

5.       Fresh leaves juice is strongly laxative in effect to treat children who are suffering from constipation.

6.       Snake gourd is good in source of minerals and vitamin contents like calcium, iron, phosphorus and substantial amount of carotene, traces of riboflavin, thiamine and niacin.

7.       Fresh leaves juice is useful in treating heart disorders like irregular heartbeat and heart pain.

8.       Snake gourd leaves juice is very effective in treating dandruff and alopecia (- a hair fall problem that could lead to partial or complete baldness). The juice should be massaged into the scalp. This is an easy home remedy for dandruff.

SIDE EFFECTS:

1.       Excess consumption of snake gourd seeds can cause nausea, upset stomach, indigestion, diarrhea, and gastric discomfort.

2.       The ripe fruit and its seeds should not be consumed because they are laxative and may cause indigestion.

 

Note

• Adding moong dal is optional
• I used coconut oil for nice flavour
• Adding Onion and Tomato also optional