Potlakaya Pappu (Snake Gourd Recipe)

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.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Indian

Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings: people

Calories: 79kcal

Author: Geetha

Equipment

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

Get Recipe Ingredients

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

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.

Nutrition