Stuffed Pudalankai, also known as Stuffed Snake Gourd, is a popular Indian dish made with snake gourd. This vegetable is long and cylindrical in shape, resembling a snake, hence the name. To make Stuffed Pudalankai, the snake gourd is first peeled and cut into thick slices. The inner part of the slices are removed, creating a hollow space. For the stuffing, a mixture of spices, onions, garlic, and sometimes ground meat or paneer (Indian cottage cheese) is prepared. This mixture is then stuffed into the hollow space of the snake gourd slices. The stuffed snake gourd is then pan-fried or deep-fried until it becomes golden and crispy. It is typically served as a side dish with roti (Indian bread) or rice. Stuffed Pudalankai is not only delicious but also nutritious. Snake gourd is low in calories and rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Additionally, the stuffing adds flavor and texture to the dish, making it a favorite among both vegetarians and non-vegetarians in India.
This versatile dish offers a variety of stuffing options to suit any taste. Typically, a mixture of coconut gratings and chopped onion combined with besan (chickpea flour) and red chili powder serves as a classic filling. However, you can easily substitute this with any dry vegetable curry or even a simple mashed potato filling.
For this particular preparation, “Paruppu Usili” (a Tamil Nadu specialty made from crumbled lentils and spices) has been used to create a unique and flavorful stuffing, giving the dish a delightful twist.
){kind=link}
Stuffed Pudalankai (SnakeGourd)
5
servings15
minutes30
minutesStuffed Pudalankai (Snake Gourd) is a popular Indian dish with varied stuffing options. In this recipe, “Paruppu Usili,” a blend of crumbled lentils and spices, serves as the stuffing. The snake gourd is cut, hollowed, boiled slightly, and filled with the stuffing. These filled pieces are then pan-fried and garnished with leftover stuffing. The dish pairs well with Indian bread or rice.
Ingredients
Snake Gourd – 1 long size
Thuvar dal – 1/2 cup
Bengal gram dal – 1/2 cup
Red chillies – 2 to 3 Nos
A pinch of asafoetida
Grated Coconut – ½ cup
Salt – 1 teaspoon or as per taste
Oil – 3 to 4 teaspoons
Mustard – 1/2 teaspoon
Directions
- For the Paruppu Usili stuffing:
- Soak both types of dal for two hours. Drain the water and grind the dals with chillies, asafetida, and salt to a coarse consistency similar to vadai dough.
- Lightly grease an idli plate and spread the dal paste onto it. Steam the mixture in an idli steamer for 8 to 10 minutes. Once done, allow it to cool, then crumble the steamed dal into tiny bits with your fingers.
- Heat a teaspoon of oil in a kadai. Add mustard seeds and let them pop. Then, stir in the crumbled dal and sauté briefly. Mix in the coconut gratings and remove from the stove. This is your Dhal Usili for stuffing.
- Preparing the snake gourd:
- Cut the snake gourd (pudalankai) into 2-inch long cylindrical pieces. Scoop out the seeds carefully with a spoon.
- Boil 4 to 5 cups of water with a pinch of salt. Add the snake gourd pieces and let them boil for 2 to 3 minutes—be careful not to overcook. Drain the water and place the blanched snake gourd pieces on a plate.
- Stuff each piece of snake gourd with the prepared Dhal Usili, setting aside some of the stuffing for garnish.
- Cooking the stuffed snake gourd:
- Heat a flat pan or tawa (you can use a dosa pan as well) and grease it with oil. Place the stuffed snake gourd pieces on their sides on the pan.
- Drizzle one or two teaspoons of oil around the pieces. Cover with a lid and cook on medium flame.
- After a few seconds, remove the lid and gently turn the pieces to cook the other side, repeating the process for a few more seconds.
- Once the sides are cooked, remove the lid and let it fry for a few more seconds until the pieces are done.
- Transfer the cooked stuffed snake gourd pieces onto a serving plate and sprinkle with the leftover usili.
Notes
- For this recipe, it’s best to use the long variety of snake gourd, which has a slightly thinner skin and allows for uniform round pieces.
So delicious! I made this for our dinner tonight with snake gourd from our garden. It was the first time my husband had tried it, and he was thoroughly enjoying it. I am so glad to have found your recipe blog. I have been making a few new recipes each week for the past several weeks, and finally had to comment to let you know how helpful it has been. It’s a new variety from our usual Andhra cooking, and I’m feeling a new inspiration to spend more time in the kitchen 🙂 Thank you for sharing your love of cooking and helping me improve my South Indian cooking skills!
Thank you Vanessa for visiting my site and your kind comments and feed back.
Yummmyy………….
Thank you Supraja Venkat.
Looks colourful ..will definitely try this 🙂
Beautiful demonstration.
Can we use besan stuffing in this
Yes. You can stuff anything you like.
pls explain hw to prepare coconut stuffing
You can add masala to the coconut gratings and stuff.