Snake Gourd Usli - Podalanga Paruppu Usli

Podalanga Usli

I finally managed to find time to write a blog post after almost 6 months.  This is something I made when we were in Chennai. Till then I never knew that we can make paruppu usli with podalanga. My MIL said, its a common dish in Thanjavur iyer families. I was not very sure whether I should try making this one. But that particular day I had no choice. So I tried this one and it came out pretty good. This is how it goes..








Ingredients:-

• Snake Gourd - 2 medium sized (cut it into tiny cubes)
• Toor dhall - 1 cup
• channa dhall - 1/2 cup
• urad dhall - 1 tbsp
• Rice - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Oil - 2 tbsp
• mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• curry leaves - few
• Red chillies -2
• Green chillies - 1
• Asafoetida powder - apinch
• Salt to Taste

First soak toor dhall, urad dhall, channa dhall, and rice in water for atleast an hour or two. In the mean time, wash the snake gourd. Cut it into small pieces and cook it. When it is fully cooked, keep it aside. Now grind the soaked dhall and rice mixture adding salt, green chillies and red chillies to it.

Grind the dhall + rice + turmeric powder + chillies + salt in to a fine paste. Steam cook it in a idly pan, for 15 mts. Allow it cool and scramble them. Keep it aside. Take a pan, pre heat oil, add mustard seeds when it splutters add curry leaves and asafoetida powder and fry it till golden brown. Now add the steam cooked dhall to it. Fry it till the dall becomes softer. Now add the cooked snake gourd to it and mix everything well. Turn off the stove. This is the traditional way of making paruppu usili.