Snake Guard ( Paduvala Kai ) sweet Curry..

Snake Gourd/Padavalakai/padangalkai is normally good in rainy season. We can prepare curries, dry curries and even payasa/Kheer. We do prepare sweet curry using this vegetable. The curry is mildly spicy and is full of cream texture because of coconut/coconut milk.

Padavalakai sweet curry is an easy dish and goes well with almost all the main dishes like plain rice, idli, dosa, chapati, poories. It is one of our favourite dish too. It is one of the traditional dish of South Canara (Udiupi /Karnataka/India. It is mostly served as one of the side dish.
This is one of my older post and I thought I will just add the pics and update the recipe.
Lets see the recipe now: As I said it earlier It is a mild and sweet curry. I have used snake gourd, coconut and some simple spices for seasoning.
Let us see the recipe now:

Things Needed :

Snake guard : 1 ( Medium size )

Coconut : 4 Table spoons. ( Fresh and grated)
Cashew nuts : 4 to 5 pods

Jaggery : 2 Table spoons (grated or powdered)

Salt : to taste

Ghee: 1 Table spoon.

Mustard seeds : 1/2 Tea spoon

Urd Daal 1/2 tea spoon

Curry Leaves : 4 to 6

Red chillies : 2 to 3

Water : Required..

Method:

1. Wash and cut Snake Guard in to small pieces and cook with required water till is is soft.

2. Grind coconut and cashew nuts nicely with little water and keep it aside.

3. Now keep the pan on the fire. Put a table spoon of ghee and add mustard seeds. red chilly and urid dal.
4. Let the mustard seeds splutter. Add curry leaves and stir a bit. Add cooked vegetables and mix it well.

5. Add jaggery, turmeric powder (a pinch), and salt. Let it cook for a minute.
6. Add ground coconut and mix it well. Add water if required. (Consistency should be thick).

7. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes and shift the curry to a serving dish.
8. Serve with plain rice or any other main dish.

Note :
Cut snake gourd into small pieces. So that it cooks faster and soft too. Adding more/less jaggery is optional. No need to add any green chilly. Red chilly taste better. Use of ghee is a must to get the good and best taste. You can also prepare this curry using bottle gourd, watermelon rind and ridge gourd.
Time : 20 Minutes
Serves : 2 to 3

.Raagi Rotti

Raagi Rotti is one of the healthy dish. Raagi or finger millet is a healthy grain and it is gluten free. Raggi/Finger millet is used for preparing rotti, ( thick bread), dosa or even mudde. ( a ball shape edible dish which is cooked with out oil). Here is a recipe of Raagi rotti.
I have added onions, grated carrots, chilly and coconut.
We can have them for breakfast, as a snack or for dinner.

Lets see the recipe Now :

Ingredients :

Raagi flour : 2 Cups
Onions : 2 Medium sized
Green chillies - 2

Ginger - a small piece
Carrot : 1 

Coconut- 2 to 3 Tablespoons ( grated).

Salt : to taste

Oil: 2 to 3 Tablespoons.

Curry leaves - Handful

Coriander leaves - 2 to 3 Tablespoons or more

Water - Required.

Method :

1. Wash and cut onions, green chilly, curry leaves and coriander leaves.
2. Wash and grate carrots and grate coconut. Wash and remove the outer layer of ginger and wash it again and grate.  Keep it aside.
3. Take a big bowl. Add cut onions, carrots, ginger, coconut, green chilly, coriander leaves, curry leaves and salt.
4. Add raagi/finger millet flour. Mix it well and add water. Let the dough be loose. (Add more water)

5. Keep a tava on the fire and heat. Sprinkle oil on the top.
6. Take a ladle full of dough and spread it around with your finger in a circle shape.

7. Add oil on the top and cover it. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes on low flame.
8. Now turn the other side and cook for a minute. Remove from the pan to a serving plate.

9. Serve with little ghee or butter on the top of " Hot Raagi Rotti " and serve with a side dish you
have prepared.

Note :

Add required water slowly and prepare the dough. (Let it be like idli dough consistency. So that you can spread it well on the tava. Lower the flame while you spread the dough on the tava. Wet your fingers before spreading the rotti. It helps you to spread as much as thin you wanted. Adding carrots is optional. But it helps the rotti to be soft. You can also add capsicum, grated bottle gourd or any edible leaves along with carrots. (Or separately). 

Time : 30 minutes.
Serves : 3 to 4.