Podalangai Poricha Kuzhambu | Snake Gourd Stew

The recipe I chose today, Podalangai Poricha Kuzhambu, is a kind of Araichu vita kuzhambu made with snake gourd. Many other vegetables other than snake gourd could also be used, but this is a very commonly used vegetable in my house for this kuzhambu. 

For my third day of cooking from a celebrity chef, I chose my favorite chef and cookbook author, Meenakshi Ammal. After my mother, I owe a lot of my cooking skills to this lady.

Podalangai Porich Kuzhambu in a steel bowl

Her books are the most essential copies of the books that I have owned. To this day whenever I am cooking traditional food, my go-to person is her book Samaithu par (in Tamil) or Cook and See (English).

The recipe I chose today, Podalangai Poricha Kuzhambu, is a kind of Araichu vita kuzhambu made with snake gourd. Many other vegetables other than snake gourd could also be used, but this is a very commonly used vegetable in my house for this kuzhambu.

Also, we have been harvesting some snake gourd from the garden, so thought would choose this recipe for the third day.

Snake gourd on cutting board with knife

Preparation time - 10 mins
Cooking time - 45 mins
Difficulty level - easy

Ingredient To Make Podalangai Poricha Kuzhambu - Swecwa 4-6

  • Snake gourd - 3 cups (chopped)
  • Thuvaram Paruppu/Red gram dhal - ½ cup (could also mix in some payatham paruppu/moong dal)
  • Sambhar powder - ½ tsp
  • Salt - to taste
  • Curry leaves - few

To fry and grind together -

  • Coriander seeds - 2 tsp
  • Kadalai paruppu/channa dal - 2 tsp
  • Red chilies - 4
  • Ullutham paruppu/Urad dal - 1 tsp
  • Coconut (grated) - ¼ cup
  • Asafetida - ¼ tsp
  • Oil - 1 tsp

For seasoning -

  • Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
  • Ullutham paruppu/Urad dal - 1 tsp
  • Oil - 1 tsp

Procedure To Make Podalangai Poricha Kuzhambu -

  • Cut the vegetables into semi-circles, add salt, sambhar powder, enough water (to cover the vegetable), and cook until soft.
Snake gourd with turmeric and water in a bowl
  • Cook the thuvaram paruppu in a pressure cooker until soft. Keep aside.
  • Fry all the ingredients mentioned above in about 1 teaspoon of oil and grind it into a smooth paste.
Grinding the ingredients in a mixer
Ingredients blend into paste
  • Once the vegetable cooks, add the ground paste and the cooked dhal and mix well.
Cooking the paste with Snake gourd in a cooker
  • Let the kuzhambu boil for a few minutes until it thickens.
  • Season with mustard seeds and urad dal.
  • Serve the podalangai poricha kuzhambu hot with rice and a dollop of ghee.
Podalangai Porich Kuzhambu is served in a bowl

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Recipe

Podalangai Poricha Kuzhambu in a bowl - Feature Image

Podalangai Poricha Kuzhambu | Snake Gourd Stew

The recipe that I chose today, Podalangai Poricha Kuzhambu, is a kind of Araichu vita kuzhambu made with snake gourd. Many other vegetables other than snake gourd could also be used, but this is a very commonly used vegetable in my house for this kuzhambu. 
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Course: Appetizer, Soup
Cuisine: Indian, Tamil Nadu
Diet: Vegetarian
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Servings: 6 People
Calories: 113kcal

Equipment

  • Pressure Cooker

Ingredients

  • 3 cups Snake gourd Chopped
  • ½ cup Thuvaram Paruppu/Red gram dhal Could also mix in some payatham paruppu/moong dal
  • ½ teaspoon Sambhar powder
  • to taste Salt
  • few Curry leaves

TO FRY AND GRIND TOGETHER -

  • 2 teaspoon Coriander seeds
  • 2 teaspoon Kadalai paruppu/channa dal
  • 4 Red chilies
  • 1 teaspoon Ullutham paruppu/Urad dal
  • ¼ cup Coconut Grate
  • ¼ teaspoon Asafetida
  • 1 teaspoon Oil

FOR SEASONING -

  • 1 teaspoon Mustard seeds
  • 1 teaspoon Ullutham paruppu/Urad dal
  • 1 teaspoon Oil

Instructions

  • Cut the vegetable in semi-circles, add salt, sambhar powder, and enough water (to cover the vegetable), and cook until soft.
  • Cook the thuvaram paruppu in the pressure cooker until soft. Keep aside.
  • Fry all the ingredients mentioned above in about 1 teaspoon of oil and grind it into a smooth paste.
  • Once the vegetable cooks, add the ground paste and the cooked dhal and mix well.
  • Let the kuzhambu boil for few minutes until it thickens.
  • Season with mustard seeds and urad dal.
  • Serve the podalangai poricha kuzhambu hot with rice and a dollop of ghee.

Nutrition

Calories: 113kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 44mg | Potassium: 156mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 286IU | Vitamin C: 43mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 3mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @Sandhya.Ramakrishnan or tag #MyCookingJourney!

14 Comments

  1. Nice, hearty Kuzhambu. I've been after this book for some time now. I couldnt find it in Landmark or Amazon. Any idea where I can find the "Cook and See" english version in Chennai?

  2. Droolworthy kuzhambu, even am a die hard fan of Meenakshi ammal's samaithu par, but unfortunately my book is in India, wish i have a copy of this book.

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