Today I am posting a recipe from Pondicherry. Every day this month I will post a recipe from a different state in India.
Pondicherry is a little Union Territory on the eastern shore of India in Tamil Nadu. It was once a French colony and some people like to continue to keep the French influence in the former colony.
When I finished grad school I took a job in Bangalore and lived with my uncle and aunt. My aunt was very active in the local Marathi Mandal (club). I helped with their annual play and got to know her whole group. Every year her group went on a trip and that year they picked Pondicherry . I was asked if I would like to go along and I jumped at the chance.
Pondicherry is a pretty place and we were there for only a day and a half. One of the things I distinctly remember is going to the beach to watch the sun rise over the water. I had to keep reminding myself that the sun was rising and not setting. Having grown up in Goa on the western coast I had never seen the sun rise over the sea.
I had trouble finding recipes for Pondicherry. I found a Google book and really liked the mango chutney but decided not to replicate those recipes. Then I found a piece in the metro section of the newspaper Hindu. They were featuring a series of recipes from Pondicherry and that is where I found this recipe.
My first question was what is snakegourd and how will I find it? As luck would have it my next visit to the Indian store solved that problem. They had a fresh shipment of snake gourd and I realized after looking at it why it is called snake gourd. I picked up the smallest of the lot.
You will need
1 snake gourd
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. mustard seeds
1 tsp. urad dal
5-6 curry leaves
1 dried red chili pepper
1/2 tsp. tamarind paste
1 1/2 fl. oz. coconut milk
salt to taste
Wash and peel the snake gourd. Cut it in half and remove the seeds. Julienne the pulp. Keep aside.
Heat oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds, urad dal, curry leaves and the red chili pepper.
When the mustard seeds crackle add the snake gourd and salt. Cover and cook until tender but not mushy.
Add the coconut milk and tamarind paste and bring it to a boil.
Pondicherry is a little Union Territory on the eastern shore of India in Tamil Nadu. It was once a French colony and some people like to continue to keep the French influence in the former colony.
When I finished grad school I took a job in Bangalore and lived with my uncle and aunt. My aunt was very active in the local Marathi Mandal (club). I helped with their annual play and got to know her whole group. Every year her group went on a trip and that year they picked Pondicherry . I was asked if I would like to go along and I jumped at the chance.
Pondicherry is a pretty place and we were there for only a day and a half. One of the things I distinctly remember is going to the beach to watch the sun rise over the water. I had to keep reminding myself that the sun was rising and not setting. Having grown up in Goa on the western coast I had never seen the sun rise over the sea.
I had trouble finding recipes for Pondicherry. I found a Google book and really liked the mango chutney but decided not to replicate those recipes. Then I found a piece in the metro section of the newspaper Hindu. They were featuring a series of recipes from Pondicherry and that is where I found this recipe.
My first question was what is snakegourd and how will I find it? As luck would have it my next visit to the Indian store solved that problem. They had a fresh shipment of snake gourd and I realized after looking at it why it is called snake gourd. I picked up the smallest of the lot.
You will need
1 snake gourd
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. mustard seeds
1 tsp. urad dal
5-6 curry leaves
1 dried red chili pepper
1/2 tsp. tamarind paste
1 1/2 fl. oz. coconut milk
salt to taste
Wash and peel the snake gourd. Cut it in half and remove the seeds. Julienne the pulp. Keep aside.
Heat oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds, urad dal, curry leaves and the red chili pepper.
When the mustard seeds crackle add the snake gourd and salt. Cover and cook until tender but not mushy.
Add the coconut milk and tamarind paste and bring it to a boil.
Turn off heat.
Serve hot.
looks yummy!!! nice one with podalangai!! I am so bored of doing just 4 variations with snake gourd.. This is a good one!!
ReplyDeleteOne day is not enough to visit Pondy,but still you saw the beach na, that importants in Pondicherry. Chutney looks fingerlicking.
ReplyDeleteVery different one for sure..even I read that hindu article and wondering how it might be..good that you visited pondy...one can sit for hours on the beach!
ReplyDeleteI have never used this ever in my cooking...i an so damn scared of the word snake..oh..cant ever imagine cooking it..i know its a phobia but well what do you do..Though the chutney seems to be interesting.
ReplyDeleteChutney with snakegourd sounds amazing.
ReplyDeleteWow Varada this sounds like an interesting chutney. I want to try this but now will have to buy a fresh snake gourd again. Just finished my last bit of the monster. :D
ReplyDeleteVery interesting chutney with the coconut milk in it I bet it tastes awesome.
ReplyDeleteWe do poriyal with this gourd. Chutney is quite new to me and it looks super inviting...
ReplyDeleteSimple yet delicious snake gourd chutney...
ReplyDeleteEven I saw this recipe and was quite intrigued by the use of coconut milk. I do want to try this recipe very soon. It looks simple yet flavorful!
ReplyDeleteThis is one more for me to try when mine starts growing in the summer. I grow the long variety that really looks like snake and also this one which is smaller.
ReplyDeleteI've seen this veg at the Indian Market will have to try it next time
ReplyDeleteI too saw this recipe but made another one from The Hindu featuring snake gourd.We buy this veggie often so I might try this soon:)
ReplyDeleteNice that you have visited pondy atleast once i am yet to visit but have some friends from pondy though.. snake gourd chutney looks very tempting and yummy dear :) loved the whole preparation !!
ReplyDeleteThis is a different variety of chutney I would say.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting chutney with snake gourd! Have tried only kootu with this veggie!
ReplyDelete