Tuesday, 22 January 2013

Snake Gourd (Pudalankai) Stir Fried with Salted Egg (Meatless Recipe)

Snake Gourd (or) Pudalankai (Tamil) is an excellent vegetable that can be used for an instant curry.

Health Benefits of Snakegourd (source : http://www.vegrecipes4u.com/health-benefits-of-snakegourd.html)

The health benefits of snake gourd are rather interesting. Snake gourd juice and leaves are often recommended by experts in natural and alternative medicine for treating some common ailments and problems. Snake gourd is mentioned in ancient Ayurvedic texts for its medicinal properties.


The snake gourd plant (trichosanthes anguina) is a tropical creeper and is usually grown over wooden lattice frames, and the gourds dangle down from a canopy of leaves. Snake gourd (also known as potlakaya, chichinda, padwal in Indian languages) is so-called because it looks like a snake, and can grow anywhere from a foot to six feet in length, sometimes curling in on itself if not stretched out with a stone (or other weight) tied to the end while it's growing. 

Belonging to the cucurbit or cucumber family (pumpkin, bottle gourd, ash gourd), snake gourd is widely grown in India, Sri Lanka, China, Thailand, Nigeria, as well as Australia.

These days a smaller variety of snakegourd is cultivated and widely available in India and in Indian grocery stores in the US. The pale green or dark green with light striped gourd, is bland, or has a slight sweetness, and is absorbent and cooks easily if tender and fresh.

Snakegourd is quite a popular vegetable in Indian cooking. It's rather bland taste makes it ideal for use with different spices. In North India, snakegourd is usually cooked in dals (lentil soups), while in South India, snakegourd is used in dry and gravy curries, soups, and raitas.

Snakegourd and Health Benefits
According to experts in natural remedies, snake gourd juice has been found effective in treating dandruff. The juice should be massaged into the scalp. This is an easy home remedy for dandruff.

Snakegourd leaves have been found useful in jaundice (hepatitis). An infusion prepared by boiling snake gourd leaves in water combined with an infusion prepared by boiling coriander seeds is given to treat jaundice.

Snake gourd-leaf juice has also been found to be useful in treating palpitations (irregular heartbeat).

Like other gourds such as bottlegourd and ridgegourd, snakegourd is very high in water content and has a cooling effect on the body, hence this summer vegetable that nature provides in such a timely manner helps in handling the summer heat.

Because of its high water content, snakegourd is low in calories, fat-free but filling, and great to include in weight-loss diets.

Snakegourd also contains a lot of fiber which can help keep your digestive tract healthy. The fiber is also helpful for those with diabetes.

Snakegourd is a good source of minerals like magnesium, calcium, and phosphorus.

For more info on snake gourd, have a look at the link here : http://www.vegrecipes4u.com/health-benefits-of-snakegourd.html

Recently, I chanced upon a snake gourd recipe from Wendy and this gives me an idea to cook it with egg. However, I stir fried it with salted egg and it is so yummylicious...  Thanks Wendy!

Ingredients :

- 1 snake gourd (skin brushed, cleaned, discard the centre seed and sliced)
- 2 eggs (mixed with salted egg)
- 1 salted egg 

- 1tsp of dried shrimps
- garlic
- salt and soy sauce to taste
- cooking oil


Method :

1) Heat oil in a wok and saute garlic and dried shrimps until aromatic.

2) Stir fry snake gourd until soft.

3) Then push the snake gourd to one side and add the egg mixture.

4) When the egg is half set, mix the snake gourd with the egg and stir.

5) Season with salt and soy sauce.

6) Serve warm.



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2 comments:

  1. Yes, Wendy, u should give it a try too, with salted egg and dried shrimps. Something different!

    ReplyDelete

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