Padvalakai Gojju

Padavalkai or snake gourd is something banned in my mother's kitchen. There is a story to it... long long time ago when me and my sibling was not even born. ...and my parents were not even married, my father had an accident and my grandparents decided to appease the snake god!!! they performed a puja in this place called Vidhuraswattha (Also known as the Jallianwala bagh of Karnataka.. there was a massacre of freedom fighters) and they erected the statue of the snake god. Since then my father was forbidden from eating the snake gourd. So my mom never made it. It was not something i liked much, so we did not miss it. However, my father relishes it like all forbidden foods are.Last week, when we went for our ritual trip to the Asian market, my eyes caught this fresh and beautiful looking Padavalakai.So it was time to try it.

Padavala Kai (snake gourd) 1

Channa Dal 1/2 cup

Tomato 1

Jeera 1/2 teaspoon

Turmeric 1 pinch

Mustard 1 pinch

Curry leaves 6-7

Oil

Hing 1 pinch

Huli Puli 1 generous pinch (Sambar Powder)

Red Chillies 6 and up

Dhania 1 teaspoon

Coconut grated 2 tablespoon

Tamarind 1 teaspoon

Salt

Method:

• Pressure cook Channa dal with a pinch of turmeric and oil till tender(about 2-3 whistles)Wash the Padavalakai and Slit it into half. Scoop the seeds and veins and chop. Cook the padavalakai in little water till tender.
• Heat a pan, toast on medium low flame, chilly, dhania and jeera separately till fragrant. Grind it along with coconut, Huli pudi,turmeric, tamarind into a course paste.
• Heat oil in a pot. Drop the mustard, hing and curry leaves, fry it for half a minute. Add the coconut and spice paste. Cook it till the rawness disappear.
• Mix in the Cooked channa dal, cooked padavalakai and diced tomatoes. Adjust the salt and simmer till everything is well combined.
• Add a little water to thin it down if serving with rice.