SNAKE GOURD AND CURD CHUTNEY - POTLAKAYA PERUGU PACHADI

Perugu patchadi (పెరుగు పచ్చడి) is a typical South Indian dish, where a vegetable is seasoned and cooked and, then when cool is mixed with curds.This is a very quick, easy and a very healthy dish.

Nutrition:

It has good protein and calcium from curds, and the vitamins and fibre from vegetables. It is not a very spicy dish and is usually liked by kids and adults equally. Snake gourd is a good laxative and an antibiotic. It is a low fat and low carbohydrate dish. good for people with diabetes and/or high choleseterol.

Ingredients:

2 long padawal/snake gourd/పొట్లకాయ Cut into thin semi-circles or circles
1 1/2 inch piece of ginger

3 green chillies                                                              
3 cups of thick curds/yogurt
6 curry leaves
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp fenugreek/menthi seeds
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
A pinch of Hing
2 red chillies
1/4 cup of coriander cut into pieces
Salt
1tsp oil

Procedure:

1. Heat oil in a vessel, add mustard seeds, when they start to spurt, add cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, red
    chillies, hing and curry leaves
2. Add snake gourd, mix salt. cover and cook till the pieces become very soft.
3. Grind  ginger, green chillies with a 1/4 cup of curds (you can also add fresh coconut), add this to the
    vessel when the snake gourd cools down.
4. Add coriander and keep it refrigerated
5. serve with rice or chapati.

BEERAKAYA PACHADI - RIDGE GOURD (TURAI) CHUTNEY

Pachadi is a typical Andhra dish, usually made by grinding/blending cooked vegetables, tamarind and seasonings together.

Ingredients:

2 long beerakaya                                              
2 tbsp oil
2 tsp urad dal(Minapa pappu)
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds(menthi)
1tsp jeera
a pinch of hing
8 red chillies
Turmeric
Salt
3/4 tbsp tamarind paste

Preparation:

1. Take 2 long beerakayalu ()- lightly grate them removing only the ridges. Then wash thoroughly and grate in to a plate. Keep the gratings. Cut beerakai in to small pieces
2. Add 2 table spoons of oil to the pan, which is on medium flame.
3. To the hot oil add urad dal, mustard seeds. when urad dal turns red and mustard starts to splutter add- menthi seeds, jeera, hing and 8 red chillies.
4. Add beerakaya gratings and pieces to the seasoning along with salt and turmeric.
5. Let it cook for about 10 min on medium flame then add tamarind paste.
6. Cook it for 5 more minutes, when beerakaya is well cooked. Turn the stove off
7. Once it cools down, Grind it coarsely.