potlakaya perugu pachadi (snake gourd in curd)

This is my best friend’s favorite. She always used to ask me to make it when I was a spinster.

INGREDIENTS:-

Potlakaya/snake gourd: - 3 cups (chopped into circular pieces by removing white portion in the middle)

Chilies: - 3-4 chopped into small pieces

Onions: - 2 large (chopped finely)

Oil: - 1 tablespoon

Salt: - as required

Coriander/Kothimeera/Cilantro: - ½ bunch (chop finely)

Turmeric: - a pinch

Chill powder: - 1 spoon (optional)

Ginger garlic paste: - ½ tablespoon (optional. I do without it. But both varieties taste good).

(Or)

Crushed garlic pods: - 3-4(even this is optional)

Curd: - 2 cups

For popu/Tadka/seasoning:-

Chana dal/Bengal gram: - a teaspoon

Urad dal/Black gram: - teaspoon

Jeera: ½ teaspoon

Dried Red chillies :- 1-2.

Mustard seeds: ½ teaspoon

Curry leaves/karivepaku :- 6-7 fresh tender leaves

METHOD:-

1. Boil snake gourd pieces . Don’t over boil them and see they don’t get smashed
2. In a pan add oil and add the tadka, dried red chillies and curry leaves and allow them to splutter.
3. Now if add onions, green chillies fry them until they turn golden brown.
4. If you opt for ginger garlic paste…add it and fry until it loses its raw smell
5. Add chopped salt, turmeric and boiled snake gourd pieces and simmer for 5 minutes.
6. Add coriander at the end and decorate it and allow it to cool (don’t add when it is hot …else curd breaks)
7. In a mixing bowl curd add cooked mixture. Adjust salt if required. Eat it with rice /roti

Variation :- you can grind together coconut ,green chillies, coriander and add this mixture after frying onions. You can add this instead of ginger-garlic paste.