Podalangai/Snake Gourd Poricha Kootu

Whenever I want to cook a quick meal I opt for the pressure cooking method, which not only saves time, but preserves nutrients and helps in using minimum oil.
As a child I never liked kootu, but over the years my taste buds have changed and now I love these simple and comforting dishes. Thankfully, my daughter likes molagootal and kootu very much. Both are quite similar, Molagootal is mixed with rice and eaten (like Sambar) whereas kootu is thicker and is made as an accompaniment to Sambar, Rasam or Mor Kootan. We have it even with rotis and it tastes very good.
Poricha kootu is a typical Tamil recipe. It is slightly different from the regular kootu in its ground spices. I learnt this from a Tanjore Aunty who was our neighbor in Chennai. This is a very simple and wholesome dish from which you can obtain the day’s requirement of proteins.

What you’ll need:

1. Sanke gourd or Podalangai – 3 cups (cut into small pieces)
2. Yellow Moong Dal – 3 tblsps
3. Channa Dal – 1 tblsp
4. Turmeric Powder – ¼ tsp
5. Salt to taste

To grind

1. Urad Dal – 1 tsp
2. Red Chillies – 1
3. Black Peppercorns – 5 – 6
4. Green Chillies – 1 or 2
5. Cumin Seeds – 1 tsp
6. Fresh Grated Coconut – ½ cup

For Seasoning

1. Coconut oil – 1 tsp
2. Mustard Seeds – ½ tsp
3. Split Urad Dal – ½ tsp
4. Hing – 1 pinch
5. Curry leaves a few

Method

Pressure cook the dals and snake gourd pieces with a pinch of turmeric powder. In the meanwhile, heat a small frying pan with very little oil, fry the items 1 to 3 mentioned under to grind till dal changes color. Let it cool. Now grind it with all the other ingredients mentioned under To grind, adding little water as and when needed.
Now, transfer the cooked dal and snake gourd pieces in a vessel. Add salt and let it boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Now add the ground paste and let it simmer for few minutes or till the kootu thickens.
Remove from heat. Heat a small frying pan with a tsp of coconut oil. Add mustard seeds, once they crackle, add urad dal, as it changes color add hing and curry leaves. Pour this onto the porichha kootu.
Tasty Poricha kootu is ready to be relished with white rice and rasam.

Notes:

1. You could add a piece of Drumstick to this kootu which gives a very good flavor.
2. Cook Dals and vegetables in different containers.
3. Do not add water while cooking the snake gourd as it gives out lot of water.
4. If there is lot of water after the vegetable is cooked, allow it boil for a longer time, before adding the ground paste.
5. Adjust spice according to your taste.

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