Dry Saute / Sabji, Sides

Podalangai Podi Thooval | புடலங்காய் போடி தூவல் | Snake gourd stir fry with Moong dal Spice Mix

What is Podalangai Podi Thooval

Podalangai Podi Thooval or Thuval is a South Indian style Snake gourd stir fry with Moong dal Spice Mix served with Sambhar or Kuzhambu . Podi in Tamil means spice powder / Spice mix, Thooval means sprinkled. Podalangai means snake gourd veggie. So Podalangai Podi Thooval is a stir fry of snake gourd with spice powder sprinkled. 

Podi Thooval is a classic TamBrahm way of making stir fries (dry sautes) with water / fibre rich veggies combined with cooling lentil like Moong Dal. And a spice mix.  Our ancestors surely knew how to introduce cooling foods for summer. 

South Indian style Snake gourd stir fry with Moong dal Spice Mix served with Sambhar or KuzhambuPin

Cooling foods like:

  • lemon juice
  • raw mango
  • Cow ghee
  • Sattu (Channa Sattu)
  • Kokum
  • Tamarind
  • Methi seeds
  • dry ginger (saunth)
  • Organic Jaggery
  • Mishri (rock candy)
  • Saunf (fennel seeds)
  • Moong dal (split green gram)
  • coconut water (elaneer)
  • Banana Stem (Vazhai Thandu)
  • melons (musk melon or bittermelon or watermelon etc)
  • gourds (snake gourd, ash gourd, bottlegourd etc)

 – all aid in digestion when the digestive juices are not at their peak and one feels tired easily.  These cooling foods are used in various dishes as Ayurveda recommends them to use in their natural form as possible to keep the body cool.

No wonder we have dishes like Aam panna, Sattu Ka Sherbet, Vella Panagam, Kokum cooler, Sol Kadi, Sprouted Methi pickle, Nimbu Paani/Soda, Lemon pickle, Moong Dal Kosambir (salad), Variyali Sherbet, Gourd raitas prepared regularly in households across India during summer  

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South Indian style Snake gourd stir fry with Moong dal Spice Mix served with Sambhar or KuzhambuPin

FAQs to make a great Podi Thooval

What can be used in place of Podalangai or Snake gourd?

Cluster beans, Cabbage, Papdi (flat bean), French beans, Raw Banana (basically all native veggies) 

What is the key to a great Podi Thooval?

The spice mix has to be freshly made (as it cannot be re-used) and the Moong dal has to boiled just al-dente (not raw, not mushy, just done) 

Is Onion – garlic added to this?

This dish is traditionally satvic – no onion garlic is used. 

Can Frozen Coconut be used in the spice mix?

Yes fresh or frozen coconut can be used. However desiccated coconut or dried coconut (a.k.a Copra / Kopparai in tamil) cannot be used

What can be served with Podalangai Podi Thooval?

South Indian style Snake gourd stir fry with Moong dal Spice Mix served with Sambhar or KuzhambuPin

Let’s get to making Pondalangai Podi Thooval

Prep time – 15 mins, Cook time – 15 mins, Serves – 3

Cuisine : Indian, South Indian ; Course : Side Dish ; Spice Level – Medium

Ingredients to make Podalangai Podi Thooval:

  • 150 grams Snakegourd (Podalangai / Padavalkai)
  • 100 grams Split green gram (Moong dal / Pasi Paruppu)
  • 1 tsp salt 
  • 1/2 tsp Turmeric 

For the spice paste

  • 1/4 cup Coconut (fresh or frozen, grated)
  • 2 dry red chillies
  • 1 tsp Cumin (jeera / jeeragam)
  • 1/2 tsp Whole Pepper

For the tempering:

  • 1 tsp oil
  • 1 sprig curry leaves
  • 1 tsp Split black gram (urad dal)

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How to make Podalangai Podi Thooval

  1. Wash the moong dal and soak in hot water (just enough to immerse it) for 15 mins, 
  2. Meanwhile, lightly peel, halve and deseed the snakegourd,  cut into desired uniform shape
  3. While the veggies and lentils are cooking, coarsely grind the ingredients for spice paste without adding any additional water. Keep aside 
  4. Method 1 : Pressure cook the snakegourd and soaked lentils with the turmeric for just 1 whistle and switch off
  5. Method 2: Par boil soaked moong dal till al dente, with the turmeric till done. Drain all water and reserve. Separately cook the snakegourd with a pinch of salt, till soft but not mushy.
  6. If you have followed Method 1 or Method 2 (our preferred way), proceed to next stage
  7. For the tempering, heat oil in a pan
  8. Splutter mustard seeds, curry leaves and urad dal. 
  9. When the dal begins to brown and mustard seeds crackle, add the spice paste and saute it for 2-3 mins till any remaining water evaporates
  10. Then add the salt and the cooked veggies with the moong dal.
  11. Give it a quick stir. 
  12. Adjust salt and seasoning 
  13. Serve hot with rasam / sambar / Kuzhambu or with curd rice. 
South Indian style Snake gourd stir fry with Moong dal Spice Mix served with Sambhar or KuzhambuPin

Podalangai Podi Thooval | Snake gourd stir fry

Kalyani
South Indian style Snake gourd stir fry with Moong dal Spice Mix served with Sambhar or Kuzhambu
5 from 6 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Indian, South Indian
Servings 3 people

Equipment

  • pan
  • Pressure Cooker
  • Knife

Ingredients
  

  • 150 grams Snakegourd Pudalangai / Padavalkai
  • 100 grams Split green gram Moong dal / Pasi Paruppu
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp Turmeric

Spice Mix

  • 1/4 cup Coconut fresh or frozen, grated
  • 2 dry red chillies
  • 1 tsp Cumin jeera / jeeragam
  • 1/2 tsp Whole Pepper

Tempering

  • 1 tsp oil
  • 1 sprig curry leaves
  • 1 tsp Split black gram urad dal

Instructions
 

  • Wash the moong dal and soak in hot water (just enough to immerse it) for 15 mins,
  • Meanwhile, lightly peel, halve and deseed the snakegourd, cut into desired uniform shape
  • While the veggies and lentils are cooking, coarsely grind the ingredients for spice paste without adding any additional water. Keep aside
  • Method 1 : Pressure cook the snakegourd and soaked lentils with the turmeric for just 1 whistle and switch off
  • Method 2: Par boil soaked moong dal till al dente, with the turmeric till done. Drain all water and reserve. Separately cook the snakegourd with a pinch of salt, till soft but not mushy.
  • If you have followed Method 1 or Method 2 (our preferred way), proceed to next stage
  • For the tempering, heat oil in a pan
  • Splutter mustard seeds, curry leaves and urad dal.
  • When the dal begins to brown and mustard seeds crackle, add the spice paste and saute it for 2-3 mins till any remaining water evaporates
  • Then add the salt and the cooked veggies with the moong dal.
  • Give it a quick stir.
  • Adjust salt and seasoning
  • Serve hot with rasam / sambar / Kuzhambu or with curd rice.
Keyword Curry, dry curry, Karamudhu, kari, No Onion No garlic, Podalangai, Podi curry, Pudalangai, pudalangai Kari, Satvik, Side Dish, Side dish for Chapati, South Indian, Thooval
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12 Comments

  1. Poonam Bachhav

    5 stars
    Snake Gourd lentil stir-fry looks absolutely flavorful especially with the coconut spice mix and the final tempering ! I would love giving your version a try. Thanks for sharing.

  2. Preethicuisine

    5 stars
    Snake gourd stir fry looks super tempting. We make it regularly at my please too. It is so yummy with the coconut and the tempering. Perfect for the summers .

  3. The Girl Next Door

    5 stars
    This is such a nutritious recipe! Like you say, our ancestors sure knew how to have suitable foods in every season.

    With the moong dal and the ‘podi’ going in, this snakegourd curry is bound to be super delicious!

  4. 5 stars
    Snake gourd stir fry looks absolutely delicious. You have used all the nutrisios ingredients in this stir fry. Perfect dish for summer.

  5. 5 stars
    Whenever I get fresh snake gourds, traditional curry like this often made in our home. Your curry sounds fabulous!

5 from 6 votes

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