Snake Ground Recipe / Padwal Bhaji / Chichinda ki Sabji
A healthy vegetable that is anti-diabetic, gastroprotective, and shields the stomach is the snack gourd, mostly found in Indian cuisine. Snake gourd is known as padwal in Marathi in Telugu, Pudalangai in Tamil, and chichinda in Hindi. This snake gourd recipe is the best and most healthy when served with roti or chapatti. This snake gourd or padwal bhaji or chichinda ki sabji is very popular to take in tiffin box along with parathas, etc.
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| Snake Gourd Recipe / Padwal Bhaji / Chichinda ki Sabji |
Preparation Time:- 10mins
Cook Time:-25mins
Cuisine:- Maharashtrian
Course:- Main course, side dish
How you will choose snake gourd
Always choose the snake gourd which is young and don’t
use older ones as it is very hard and tough to cook. The older snake gourd also
has a different kind of smell and sometimes it tastes differently too.
Ingredients
* Take 4 snake gourd and chop it into pieces
* 1 medium size potato.
* Mustard oil (2 tablespoons)
* ½ teaspoon of kalonji seeds or onion seeds.
* 4 chopped garlic
* ½ tablespoon of turmeric powder.
* 1 medium size onion finely chopped.
* 8 tablespoon of poppy seeds.
*1 green chilli chopped.
* Salt as required.
* sugar if required (optional)
Procedures to make snake gourd recipe
Step 1) Take four snake gourds wash it thoroughly and
keep it aside.
Step 2) Take a knife and scrap off the layer of the snake gourd coated over them.
Step 3) Take 1 medium-sized potato and cut it into smaller cubes.
Step 4) Cut the snake gourd into smaller pieces and keep it aside.
Step 5) In a frying pan or kadai add 2 tablespoons of mustard oil and heat it in medium flame.
Step 6) Heat the oil and add a few onion seeds or nigella seeds or kalonji for tempering, also add 4 chopped garlic and stir it.
Step 7) Add the washed potato cubes to the frying pan or kadai and stir it thoroughly.
Step 8) Add ½ tablespoons of turmeric powder and stir it continuously so it does not get overheated from the bottom.
Step 9) Take 1 medium-sized onion and cut it into smaller pieces.
Step 10) Add the chopped onion to the kadai stir it and fry it.
Step 11) Cover the frying pan with a lid so that the potatoes boil from inside and stir it after opening the lid.
Step 12) Then add the chopped snake gourd and mix it properly. Add some salt as required.
Step 13) Take 3 tablespoons of poppy seeds and make a thick paste with the help of the mixer grinder. You can also use the traditional grinding tool i.e.‘shil noda’ which is used in Bengali cuisine for grinding the poppy seeds.
Step 14) Then pour the paste of the poppy seeds into the mixture and mix it properly. Pour the paste of poppy seeds when the potatoes and snake gourd are fried.
Step 15) Stir it, mix it thoroughly add the pieces of green chilli, and fry it until the excess water released gets absorbed completely.
Step 16) Finally, after the snake gourd recipe is done, put the gas off and add 1 tablespoon of mustard oil for added taste.
Step 17) Garnish the snake gourd recipe with chopped onion and tomato for its colorful yummy look before serving. Thus, enjoy your delicious snake gourd recipe.
Expert Tips and Advice
1) Storing of snake gourd:- Keep the uncut snake gourd in
the refrigerator wrapped in a paper towel or cloth so that the excess moisture
is absorbed. Use it within a few days for the best flavor.
2) Choose Fresh Snake Gourd:- Take the snake gourd which
is free and unblemished for its great flavor and texture.
3) Seasoning:- Season the snake gourd with salt and keep
it for a few minutes before cooking. This will draw out excess moisture.
4) Healthy option:- If you want to make the snake gourd
healthier add minimum oil and steam it to retain its nutrients.
5) Balancing Flavors:- The flavor of snake gourd is mild,
so balance it with ingredients like various spices to enhance its taste.
6) Cooking Tricks:- You can prepare the snake gourd in
various ways like frying, steaming, sauteing, etc.
Can I eat raw snake gourd?
Yes, you can use raw snake gourd in your salads. But if you cook it will taste better and will help in proper digestion.
What are the popular dishes that can be made with snake gourd?
You can prepare various curries, soups, padwal bhaji, stuffed snake gourd, etc.
What are the benefits of consuming snake gourd?
Snake gourd is rich in fiber, vitamin C, vitamin A, and minerals and low in calories.
Do I need to peel the snake gourd before cooking?
If the snake gourd is young and tender then you do not need to peel it off. But if the skin is hard, you need to peel it off for a soft texture.
Do I need to remove the seeds from the snake gourd?
The seeds are edible, so it is not necessary to remove the seeds. However, if the seeds are larger you can scrape them out before cooking.
Can I use snake gourd in soup?
Yes, you can use snake gourd in soup to add flavor and texture.
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