This snake gourd dal recipe is a comforting, healthy meal made with yellow moong dal and tempered aromatic spices. This version is a quick pudalangai kootu without coconut that has a creamy texture that pairs perfectly with steamed rice or rotis.
This simple pudalangai kootu has no coconut added to it. It is a quick recipe using a pressure cooker. A simple tadka added to it, makes it a light and comforting dal that you can enjoy with rice or rotis.
Table of Contents
About Snake Gourd (Pudalangai)
Snake Gourd vegetable is referred to with various names such as chichinda in Hindi, pudalangai in Tamil, padavalanga in Malayalam, padwal in Marathi and potlakaya in Telugu. This vegetable has a high water content and is low in calories.
About this Pudalangai Kootu Without Coconut
- Easy to make: It is easy to make with a few everyday ingredients. If you are looking to make a simple lunch or dinner, then this is a good choice.
- Light Meal: It is a very light dal without any masalas loaded into it.
- No coconut: While South Indian kootu usually has coconut added to it, this dish has no coconut.
- No onions or tomatoes: There are no onions or tomatoes used here. So, if you have run out of those, then you can still cook up this delicious dish.
- Get done in minutes: Just add the dal and veggies to the cooker and once its cooked, do a tempering of the spices in oil or ghee. Thats it! you have a healthy dish ready in minutes.
- Healthy: Both dal and snake gourd, which are used in this recipe are very nutritious.
Health Benefits of Snake Gourd and Moong Dal
- Snake Gourd
- Cooling effect: this vegetable is believed to have a cooling effect on the body.
- Vitamins: it is a good source of vitamins A, B and C.
- Low-Calorie vegetable: it is low in calories.
- Dietary Fiber: it is rich in dietary fiber and helps improve digestion.
- Moong dal
- Easily digestible: Moong dal is easy to digest.
- Protein: It is rich in proteins.
Ingredients You Need
- Snake gourd: You need to peel the skin of snake gourd, trim off the ends and then slice them.
- Yellow moong dal: They refer to whole mung beans or green gram, without skin and that have been split. They are yellow in color and slightly flat in shape. As they are skinned and split, they are easier to cook.
- Ginger: It lends a nice aroma and sharp taste to the dal. Though fresh ginger gives a nice flavor to the dish, you can substitute with ginger paste.
- Garlic: Adds flavor to the dal. Use fresh garlic or substitute with garlic paste.
- Green chilli: It lends heat to the dish. Adjust the number of chillies as per the sharpness of the chillies or the spice level you like.
- Turmeric powder: Add little turmeric powder to give the lovely yellow color to the dal as well as add flavor.
- Tempering spices: We are not adding any strong masalas to the dal. Instead Mustard seeds, cumin seeds, asafoetida and dry red chillies are added during tempering. These spices give a nice flavor to the dal.
- Oil: I used sunflower oil here. Use any oil of your choice. If you are not vegan, you can substitute oil with ghee for a more flavorful dal.
- Coriander Leaves / Cilantro: Garnish the dal with chopped coriander leaves or cilantro. You can skip the garnishing if you dont have it.
- Salt
How to Make Snake Gourd Dal Step by Step
- Firstly, wash the moong dal 4-5 times. Peel the snake gourd and cut the snake gourd vertically into 2 pieces and discard the inner seeds. Then slice the snake gourd into thin half-rounds. Place the moong dal, sliced snake gourd, crushed ginger and sliced garlic in a pressure cooker.
- Then add turmeric powder and salt.
- Pressure cook with 1 1/4 cups water for 2 whistles and remove from heat.
- For tempering, heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds and asafoetida. When the mustard seeds pop, add the cumin seeds and dry red chillies. Once cumin seeds crackle and change color slightly, add the slit green chilli and cooked moong dal and pudalangai.
- Now bring the dal to a boil and let it cook for 3 to 4 minutes on medium-low flame till it reaches the desired consistency and remove from heat. Finally, garnish with chopped coriander or cilantro leaves. Snake gourd moong dal curry is ready to be served.
Recipe Tips
- Cooking the Dal: I used a pressure cooker to save time. You can also cook the dal and gourd in a pot with enough water until they are soft and creamy.
- Adjusting Spice: Adjust chillies based on your spice preference or the sharpness of the chillies used.
- Flavorful Tempering: This is a vegan version of pudalangai kootu. If you aren’t vegan, using ghee adds a wonderful aroma to the dal.
- Serving Suggestions: This snake gourd moong dal curry pairs perfectly with steamed rice, chapathis or rotis. For a complete meal, serve it with a fresh kachumber salad or a side of spicy pickle and papad.
This snake gourd dal recipe is a comforting, healthy vegan meal made with moong dal and tempered aromatic spices. This version is a simple pudalangai kootu without coconut, pressure cooked for convenience and perfect for serving with steamed rice or chapatis.
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup yellow moong dal (pasi paruppu)
- 2 cups snake gourd (pudalangai), sliced
- 1 green chilli
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger, crushed
- 3 garlic cloves, sliced
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 2 dry red chillies, broken
- 1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
- A pinch of asafoetida (hing)
- 2 teaspoon oil
- Coriander leaves for garnishing
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Prep veg and dal:Wash the moong dal 3-4 times in water. Peel the snake gourd, trim off the ends. Cut the snake gourd vertically into 2 pieces and discard the inner seeds. Slice the snake gourd into thin half-rounds. Slice the garlic cloves and crush the fresh ginger. Place the washed moong dal and sliced snake gourd along with crushed ginger and sliced garlic in a pressure cooker.
- Add spices:Add turmeric powder and salt.
- Pressure cook:Pour 1 1/4 cups of water and pressure cook for 2 whistles. Remove from heat and set aside to let the pressure release by itself.
- Temper dal:For the tempering, heat oil in a kadai or pan. Add asafoetida and mustard seeds. When mustard seeds splutter, add cumin seeds and dry red chillies. When cumin seeds crackle, add the slit green chilli and the cooked moong dal and snake gourd.
- Boil dal:If the dal is too thick, add 1/2 to 3/4 cups of water, as needed. Let the dal come to a boil. Then cook on a medium-low flame for 3 to 4 minutes and remove from heat once it reaches the desired consistency.
- Garnish and serve:Garnish with chopped coriander leaves or cilantro. Snake gourd and moong dal curry is now ready to be served.
Notes
- Snake gourd is also known as padwal and chichinda in Hindi.
- You can boil the snake gourd and moong dal in enough water in a pot instead of pressure cooking.
- Adjust chillies as per your choice or depending on the sharpness of the chillies.
- This dal goes well with rice and chapatis / rotis.
- For a more flavorful dal, you can temper the dal with ghee ( or clarified butter ) instead of oil.
Nutrition Information
Serving size 1 serving
Calories 176 calories
Fat 5.3 g
Saturated fat 0.6 g
Unsaturated fat 0 g
Trans fat 0 g
Carbohydrates 23.3 g
Sugar 0.1 g
Sodium 393 mg
Fiber 8.6 g
Protein 9.6 g
Cholesterol 0 mg
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make Pudalangai Kootu without coconut?
Yes, you can make a delicious pudalangai kootu without coconut by using yellow moong dal. The dal provides a natural creaminess and thick texture, making the coconut unnecessary for a healthy, low-calorie version.
Is this Snake Gourd Curry recipe healthy?
Yes, this snake gourd curry recipe is very healthy. It is high in fiber and protein thanks to the combination of fresh snake gourd and moong dal. It is also a great low-calorie option for those looking for a light lunch or dinner.
Do I need to soak the moong dal before cooking the curry?
You don’t have to soak it, but rinsing the yellow moong dal 3 to 4 times in water helps not only to remove any debris but also in cooking evenly. In this curry the lentils and vegetable are pressure cooked together to save time and ensure a soft, well-blended consistency.
Diya says
Thanks for the recipe
Jiya Jesh says
Thank you for the feedback, Diya. Glad you liked it!
Inakshi says
Hi… I tried this recipe of yours, turned out really nice… Very light and flavorful! Simple and tasty. Thanks! 🙂
Jiya Jesh says
Thanks Inakshi. So glad you liked it!
Nasreen says
Thank you jiya..I love this recipe and very Tasty..
Jiya Jesh says
So glad you liked it Nasreen!
Tavleen says
Very healthy and easy recipe. Thank you so much.
Jiya Jesh says
Thanks!