Published By: Devyani

Sabzi of the Day - Effortlessly Delicious: Easy Snake Gourd Recipes for Homemade Goodness

A powerhouse of vital nutrients, essential vitamins and minerals, this veggie confers numerous health benefits and can be prepared into a wide range of delicacies.

Snake gourd, a vine with palm-shaped leaves and wiry tendrils, belongs to the gourd family and is packed with nutrients. This vegetable, including its seeds and extracts, is rich in dietary fiber, proteins, fats, and carbohydrates, along with antioxidants like vitamins C and E.

Per 100g serving, snake gourd provides 86.2 kcal, 2g protein, 12.5g carbohydrates, 0.6g fiber, and 3.9g fat. It also contains potassium, sodium, calcium, vitamin A, B, C, and E. Known for promoting overall wellness, snake gourd improves skin and hair health while addressing conditions like asthma, diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol.

Additionally, it supports weight management, particularly for women with PCOD, and is a great keto-friendly food option. Widely used in Ayurveda for its healing properties, snake gourd is safe to consume when sourced fresh and clean.

To enjoy the most of this amazing veggie, here are some quick, easy, and unique recipes you can try at home.

Chichinda Sabzi (Snake Gourd Curry)

Snake gourd curry, also known as chichinda sabji, is a quick and easy dry curry made with snake gourd. It’s a versatile dish that complements both roti and rice perfectly!

Ingredients

3 cups snake gourd, chopped
1 tbsp ghee
1 tsp cumin seeds
A pinch of asafoetida/ hing
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp red chili powder
¼ tsp turmeric powder
¾ tsp salt or to taste
⅓ to ½ cup water divided
1 tbsp chickpea flour/besan

Recipe

Heat a pan or kadai and melt ghee. Once hot, add cumin seeds and asafoetida.
When cumin seeds start to sizzle, reduce the heat to medium-low and add coriander powder, red chili powder, and turmeric powder. Fry for 20-30 seconds, stirring constantly to avoid burning.
Add ¼ cup of water and mix the spices well.
Add the chopped snake gourd to the pan and stir to coat it evenly with the spices.
Sprinkle 2 tbsp of water over the mixture, cover, and cook for 3-4 minutes.
Remove the lid, add 2 more tbsp of water and salt, then cover and cook until the vegetable is soft and tender. Stir occasionally and add water if it gets too dry. (Total cooking time may vary, usually around 12 minutes).
Once tender, add besan (chickpea flour) and mix well.
Cook for 2-3 more minutes, then turn off the heat.

Serve the curry warm with rice or roti.

Pudalangai Poriyal (Snake Gourd Dry Curry with Coconut)

This mild-flavored vegetable side dish pairs wonderfully with sambar or rasam and rice. A generous sprinkle of coconut on top enhances the dish with extra flavor.

Ingredients

1 small snake gourd
½ tsp salt or to taste
1 tbsp coconut oil
½ tsp mustard seeds
2 tsp urad dal
2 dried red chillies
1 sprig curry leaves
2-3 tbsp grated coconut

Recipe

Use the longer variety of snake gourd. Slit open, remove the seeds, and slice it into 1 cm thick slices to get about 2.5 cups of sliced snake gourd.
In a small pressure cooker (1.5-2 litres), add the sliced snake gourd with just over 1/4 cup of water and 1/2 tsp salt.
Close the lid and cook with the weight on. After 1 whistle, turn off the flame and release the excess pressure.
Open the cooker and drain any remaining water by passing the cooked vegetable through a sieve.
Heat oil in a sauté pan, and add mustard seeds, dried chillies, urad dal, and curry leaves. Fry until the seeds pop, chillies turn red, and the urad dal turns golden brown.
Add the cooked and drained snake gourd slices and toss to combine. Adjust seasoning by adding salt if needed.

Garnish with fresh coconut and serve hot.

Snake Gourd Kofta

Snake gourd kofta is a delicious and nutritious dish that's perfect for any occasion. Whether served as a starter or as a tasty after-school snack for kids, it's sure to be a hit!

Ingredients

1 cup chopped snake gourd (3 small snake gourds)
1 medium-sized big onion
2-3 green chillies
5 cloves garlic
A pea-sized piece of tamarind
A bit of curry leaves and coriander leaves
1 tsp gram dal
½ tsp fennel seeds
A handful of roasted peanuts
½-1 cup rava/sooji
salt as needed
½-1 tsp red chilly powder
oil for deep frying
3 - 4 tbsp rice flour
water as needed
bread crumbs as needed

Recipe

In a mixer, pulse fennel seeds, gram dal, green chillies, tamarind, garlic, and curry leaves.
Add chopped snake gourd to the mixer and grind to a coarse paste without water.
Remove the pith from the snake gourd and chop it into smaller pieces, then transfer to a container.
In the same mixer, pulse peanuts and add them to the snake gourd mixture.
Add chopped onions and coriander leaves, then mix everything together.
Add sooji and salt, and knead the mixture into a smooth dough.
Taste and adjust the salt and spices. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, heat oil for frying.
Mix rice flour with water to create a medium-thick paste.
Roll the dough into small cylindrical shapes, coat in the rice flour paste, then roll in breadcrumbs to coat evenly.
Deep fry the koftas in oil until golden brown.

Serve with ketchup or chutney. Enjoy!

Goan Spiced Snake Gourd

This snake gourd dish is a flavorful, spiced side that pairs perfectly with Indian or Asian meals. It's a vegan, gluten-free, and low-carb option for a healthy accompaniment.

Ingredients

300 grams of Snake Gourd
1 Onion
1 Tomato
1 Green Chili Pepper
1 tbsp Oil
½ tsp Turmeric powder
¼ tsp Cayenne Pepper powder
¼ Teaspoon Black Pepper powder
½ Teaspoon Coriander powder
½ Teaspoon Cumin powder
Salt to taste
Water
Coconut Raw Freshly Shredded

Recipe

Cut the snake gourd in half, peel it, and then slice it lengthwise. Cut into thicker pieces, using about 300 grams. Store any extra in the fridge for later.
Add just enough water to cover the vegetables in the pot. Cook on low to medium heat for 8-10 minutes or until the water evaporates and the gourd is tender.
Heat oil in a pot and sauté the onion until translucent on low to medium heat.
Add tomato, snake gourd pieces, and green chili to the pot. Stir fry for 3-5 minutes until the vegetable juices are released.
Add spices—turmeric, chili powder, pepper, cumin powder, and coriander powder. Stir well and cook for a few more minutes.
Season with salt to taste. Turn off the heat.

Garnish with freshly scraped coconut and serve hot. Enjoy!

Snake Gourd Kuzhambi

A flavorful and spicy South Indian Kara Kuzhambu made with snake gourd, it's both simple to prepare and delicious to enjoy!

Ingredients

1-2 Snake Gourd
1 Onion
2 Tomatoes
2 tsp Coriander powder
1 tsp Red chilli powder
1 tsp Kuzhambu masala
Salt - to taste
¼ cup Tamarind juice
3 tbsp Oil
1 tsp Mustard seeds
1 tsp Cumin seeds
¼ tsp Vendhayam
½ tap Urad dal
1 sprig of Curry leaves
¼ tsp Perungayam

Recipe

Clean and chop the snake gourd. Soak tamarind in water.
Heat oil in a kadai. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, methi seeds, urad dal, curry leaves, red chilies, and a pinch of hing.
Add crushed garlic and sauté until fragrant, then add chopped onions.
Add chopped tomatoes and cook. As the tomatoes cook, sprinkle in coriander powder, red chili powder, kuzhambu powder, and salt.
Mix well, adding a little water if necessary. Cook the tomatoes for about 5 minutes.
Once the tomatoes are cooked, add the chopped snake gourd and stir it into the masala.
Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup water, cover, and cook the snake gourd for 5 minutes.
Pour in tamarind water, mix well, and add 1/2 cup more water. Let it boil for another 5-8 minutes.