Snake Gourd cooked two ways (South Indian)

If  you want to get technical about it, it is called “Trichosanthes cucumerina” or more commonly called Chinese cucumber in your neighborhood Asian grocery. It is long, slender and cylindrically green fleshy vegetable and hence the name “snake gourd”. Mostly found in South Asia, it is low in carbs, anti-inflamatory, a natural antibiotic and good for the heart.

While you can do many things with it, here are a couple of ways you can cook it.

Ingredients:
1 long or 2-3 small snake gourd chopped
1 tbsp chana dal
1 tbsp urad dal
1 tbsp mustard seeds
1-2 dry red chilli
1 green jalapeno
some chopped ginger
2-3 tbsp shredded coconut
1-2 tsp sesame powder
1/2-1 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
some curry leaves
pinch of turmeric
pinch of asafoetida
some cilantro to garnish
1 tbsp oil

Steam the chopped snake gourd in a pressure cooker till it is soft and cooked.

Heat the oil (olive or canola) in a pan. Add turmeric and asafoetida. Then add chana dal, urad dal, mustard seeds and dry red chilli  and fry till lightly brown. Add curry leaves, ginger and jalapeno and lightly fry. Add steamed snaked gourd and mix thoroughly. Leave on till excess moisture evaporates. Take some out and set aside.

To make the curry add shredded coconut, salt, and roasted sesame powder and cayenne pepper and mix well. Leave for 5 minutes. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve with rice or roti

Mix set aside portion of snake gourd with some yogurt. Add salt for taste and garnish with cilantro. Serve with rice or roti