Looking for a simple snake gourd recipe? then try this classic south Indian dish potlakaya pappu that goes well with rice or rotis. It is a no onion, no garlic vegan curry made with snake gourd, lentils and a blend of aromatic spices.
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Snake gourd is termed chichinda, padawalkai, pudalangai in regional Indian languages.
This protein-packed curry is a wholesome dish to prepare on a busy midweek and to add to a weekly meal plan. Serve with hot rice or roti for a comforting and nutritious meal.
Ingredients
- Spices: Mustard seeds, cumin seeds, asafoetida, turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and salt.
- Lentils: Chana dal and urad dal
- Vegetables and Herbs: Snake gourd, tomato, ginger, green chillies, curry leaves and coriander leaves.
- Liquid: Water to cook dal and oil for tadka. I have used olive oil but you can use any cooking oil that you use regularly in your kitchen.
See the recipe card for quantities.
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1: Rinse and wash chana dal under cold tap water for 2-3 times.
Step 2: Soak it in a bowl with sufficient water for 15 minutes.
Step 3: Wash and trim the edges of snake gourd. Cut it lengthwise, remove the seeds and chop into small pieces.
Step 4: Drain water from dal and transfer it to the pressure cooker.
Step 5: Add 1 cup of water, turmeric and close the cooker with a lid.
Step 6: Pressure cook dal over medium heat for 4 whistles.
Step 7: Meanwhile, put peeled ginger and green chillies in a blender and blend it to a coarse paste.
Step 8: Once the pressure is released completely, remove the whistle and lid of the cooker.
Step 9: Heat oil in a pan over medium heat.
Step 10: Once oil is hot, add mustard, cumin and urad dal. Saute until dal turns golden.
Step 11: Now add asafoetida, curry leaves, coarse chilli ginger paste and fry for a minute until fragrant.
Step 12: Add tomatoes and cook until they soften.
Step 13: Now, add snake gourd, coriander powder, cumin powder, and salt and stir well. Cook for 8-10 minutes until snake gourd softens.
Step 14: Transfer it to the cooked dal in the cooker.
Step 15: Add half a cup of water and stir well. Simmer for 2-3 minutes until dal bubbles.
Step 16: Switch the heat off.
Step 17: Mix in coriander leaves and mix well.
Serve delicious potlakaya pappu with steamed rice, a drizzle of ghee and avakaya.
Substitutions and Variations
Chillies: Use dried red chillies in tadka for extra flavour and a spicy kick.
Vegetables: You could use onion and garlic if you wish. Saute them with spices before adding tomatoes.
Curry Leaves: I have used frozen curry leaves that I had on hand. Fresh leaves give the best flavour. Use them if you have them.
Lemon Juice: A squeeze of lemon juice adds a zing to the curry and enhances the flavour. Add it at the end after you switch the heat off.
Gluten Free: Either skip asafoetida or check its label to ensure it doesn't contain any wheat flour.
Storage
Leftover pappu stays good for up to 3 days in the fridge if stored in an airtight container.
Reheat: Place the desired quantity of pappu in a heat-proof container and reheat in the microwave until piping hot. Alternatively, heat it in a saucepan on the stovetop over medium heat stirring regularly to prevent curry from sticking to the base of the pan.
Tips and Tricks
Fresh Snake Gourd: Use fresh and tender gourd as they have a soft texture and taste best. Avoid overly mature gourds as they tend to be tough.
Remove Seeds: Remove seeds from the snake gourd as they can be bitter when cooked.
Soak Dal: Soaking chana dal for at least 15 minutes reduces cooking time.
Cooking Dal: The hardness of the water and the quality of the dal determine the number of whistles it takes to cook.
Related
Looking for other lentil recipes? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favourite side dishes to serve with this snake gourd recipe:
KEEP IN TOUCH
Do let me know if you try this snake gourd recipe. If you like this recipe kindly consider rating it using stars in the comment section or on the recipe card to help more people find this recipe online. You can stay up to date by following me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram or subscribing to my Youtube channel. Or why not subscribe to my blog and get simple recipes straight to your inbox?
📖 Recipe Card
Potlakaya Pappu (Snake Gourd Recipe)
Print Pin Share by Email RateEquipment
- 1 Pressure Cooker
- 1 Ladle
- 1 Skillet/Frying Pan
- 1 Blender
Ingredients
1 Cup = 250ml ; 1 Tablespoon = 15ml ; 1 Teaspoon = 5ml
To Cook Lentils
- ⅓ Cup Chana Dal
- ½ Teaspoon Turmeric
- 1 Cup Water
For Tadka
- Oil
- ½ Teaspoon Mustard Seeds
- ½ Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
- ½ Teaspoon Urad Dal
- 1 Sprig Curry Leaves
- a pinch Asafoetida/ Hing
- 2 inch Ginger wash, peel and chop roughly
- 6-8 Green Chillies adjust to suit your spice levels
- 1 big Tomatoes wash and chop
- 1 Cup Snake Gourd/Potlakaya/Padwal/Pudalangai
- ½ Cup Water add more if necessary to adjust conistency
- ½ Teaspoon Coriander Powder
- ½ Teaspoon Cumin Powder
- Salt as required
- 12-15 sprigs Fresh Coriander Leaves wash and chop finely
Instructions
- Rinse and wash chana dal under cold tap water for 2-3 times.⅓ Cup Chana Dal
- Soak it in a bowl with sufficient water for 15 minutes.
- Wash and trim the edges of snake gourd. Cut it lengthwise, remove the seeds and chop into small pieces.1 Cup Snake Gourd/Potlakaya/Padwal/Pudalangai
- Drain water from dal and transfer it to the pressure cooker.
- Add water, turmeric and close the cooker with a lid.1 Cup Water, ½ Teaspoon Turmeric
- Pressure cook dal over medium heat for 4 whistles.
- Meanwhile, put peeled ginger and green chillies in a blender and blend it to a coarse paste.2 inch Ginger, 6-8 Green Chillies
- Once the pressure is released completely, remove the whistle and lid of the cooker.
- Heat oil in a pan over medium heat.Oil
- Once oil is hot, add mustard, cumin and urad dal. Saute until dal turns golden.½ Teaspoon Mustard Seeds, ½ Teaspoon Cumin Seeds, ½ Teaspoon Urad Dal
- Now add asafoetida, curry leaves, coarse chilli ginger paste and fry for a minute until fragrant.a pinch Asafoetida/ Hing, 1 Sprig Curry Leaves
- Add tomatoes and cook until they soften.1 big Tomatoes
- Now add snake gourd, coriander powder, cumin powder, salt and stir well. Cook for 8-10 minutes until snake gourd softens.1 Cup Snake Gourd/Potlakaya/Padwal/Pudalangai, ½ Cup Water, ½ Teaspoon Coriander Powder, Salt, ½ Teaspoon Cumin Powder
- Transfer it to cooked dal in cooker.
- Add a little water and stir well. Simmer for 2-3 minutes until dal bubbles.
- Switch the heat off.
- Mix in coriander leaves and mix well.12-15 sprigs Fresh Coriander Leaves
Notes
Nutrition
Welcome to Flavours Treat. I share vegetarian recipes made with wholesome, mostly fresh ingredients. Every recipe has easy-to-follow instructions with process shots (detailed step-wise pictures), a short video and lots of tips to help your cooking journey. Read more
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