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    Home » Salad/Raita/Chutney

    Published: Sep 21, 2016 · Modified: May 8, 2023 by Usha Rao

    Potlakaya Pachadi ~ Snake Gourd in Yogurt Sauce

    Potlakaya is snake gourd and is a long vegetable belonging to gourd family. It is a fruit which is eaten like a vegetable. Since it is very long, it is called snake gourd. I used small to medium sized gourd and you can see how long it is. I had to cut the gourd into pieces to include it in the frame.

    Potlakaya.

    You must be wondering why I am talking about potlakaya when I should be doing a yogurt recipe! Well, since I don’t eat yogurt with rice, which is a norm in South Indian, I always look for other ways to incorporate yogurt into my diet. I usually make lot of raithas and also perugu pachadi with vegetables that need to be cooked before consuming.

    Raw ingredients Snake Gourd, green chilies and cilantro.

    The next recipe for this week, cooking with yogurt, for the Cooking Carnival, Cooking with Protein Rich Ingredients is potlakaya pachadi ~ snake gourd pachadi.

    Raw ingredient Snake Gourd.

    Potlakaya pachadi is a common preparation in many Telugu families and is one of the oldest preparations. This is also prepared in some of the other South Indian states as well.

    chopped  Snake Gourd.

    Snake gourd is cut into pieces, cooked and mixed with yogurt. A tempering is poured over it and served with plain rice. I like this pachadi as it can be served as a side dish and also as a snack. In fact, I eat most of the perugu pachadlu and raitas as snack and isn't it a heathy snack!!

    Potlakaya Perugu Pachadi in a bowl.

    I was not happy with the pictures I took the day I prepared the pachadi. I had some leftovers, I saved the leftovers for 2-3 days to take some decent pictures. I was unsure if could do Indian groceries before I post this recipe as I do these groceries once in 3-4 weeks or sometimes even longer. As a backup, I wanted to have some decent pictures. I personally prefer taking pictures immediately or on the day the food is prepared. For some reason, the texture, the freshness of the food is no longer there once it is refrigerated. At least I have not had good luck photographing leftover food. Surprisingly, I have been lucky with these pictures and with ground chicken pictures. These are lot better than my previous attempts.

     Snake Gourd Yogurt Chutney in a bowl.

    Total Time: 25 - 30 minutes + cooling time
    Preparation: 10 minutes
    Cooking Time: 15 - 20 minutes
    Yields: 2 cups (check again)

    Ingredients:

    • 1 medium sized / 250 grams Snake Gourd, sliced or 2 cups sliced
    • ¼ tsp. Cumin Seeds
    • ½ + ¼ teaspoon Salt
    • ¾ - 1 cup Water
    • 1 cup Yogurt (I used lowfat. Can use whole milk yogurt or use 1 tablespoon sour cream with low or nonfat yogurt for a rich pachadi)
    • ⅛ - ¼ tsp. Mustard Seeds, powdered (I used ⅛ teaspoon seeds and felt I could have added a bit more for a pungent taste. Adjust to taste)
    • Cilantro ~ Kothmir for garnish

    Tempering

    • 2 tsp. Oil
    • ⅛ tsp. Mustard Seeds
    • ⅛ tsp. Cumin Seeds
    • 1 Dry Red Chili
    • 1-2 Green Chilies chopped
    • ¼ tsp. Urad Dal
    • ½ - ¾ tsp. Garlic mince
    • Pinch of Turmeric

    Preparation:

    • Cook snake gourd - Wash and cut snake gourd lengthwise into to two pieces and slice each piece ¼” pieces.
    • In a saucepan, take sliced snake gourd pieces, cumin seeds, ½ teaspoon salt, water and cook until snake gourd is tender, and almost all the water is evaporated. Cook on high until it comes to a boil and then reduce the flame to medium and cook. It took about 15-20 minutes.
    • Add mustard powder, mix and let the mixture cool.
    • Tempering - Heat oil in a small pan. When oil is hot, add mustard, cumin and red chili. Let the seeds splutter and dry red chili turn brown.
    • Add green chilies, urad dal, garlic and let the chilies change color and garlic lightly roasted.
    • Add turmeric and turn off the heat.
    • Putting it together - Take cooked snake gourd in a serving bowl.
    • Add yogurt and mix well.
    • Pour the tempering and give a good stir.
    • Taste and adjust salt.
    • Refrigerate until ready to serve.
    • Serve with rice.

    This day in 2014: Tri Color Beans Fry
    This day in 2015: Japanese Breakfast, Hourensou no Gomaae ~ Japanese Spinach Salad with Sesame Sauce and Tamagoyaki ~ Rolled Japanese Omelet

    Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 68

    [inlinkz_linkup id=648414 mode=1]

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    Reader Interactions

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    1. cookingwithsapana says

      November 02, 2016 at 6:24 pm

      I love yogurt based gravies and this curry looks absolutely fantastic to try with plain rice.

      Reply
    2. Sandhya Ramakrishnan says

      October 26, 2016 at 8:28 am

      We love snake gourd, but I have never made it with yogurt. I am definitely trying this soon.

      Reply
    3. themadscientistskitchen says

      October 14, 2016 at 11:42 am

      I make this Usha but I mash up all the snake gourd then no one know what raita it is...:D

      Reply
    4. Srivalli Jetti says

      October 14, 2016 at 2:58 am

      Very lovely idea of using the potlakaya in curds, we do not make this at home as curds is consumed as such and potlakaya as either bajjis or kura..love the idea as this makes a good raitha..and pics are classic Usha..

      Reply
    5. Sowmya:) says

      October 13, 2016 at 9:42 am

      I have never tried pachadi with snake gourd. Looks very interesting. I noticed you haven't deseeded the snake gourds in the pictures. Is that how you used them in the pachadi? Never tried that either.

      Reply
    6. Smruti | Herbivore Cucina says

      October 11, 2016 at 5:44 pm

      Usha, I have done the same with leftovers very often! When I am unsure if I shall be making it soon, I preserve a little to photograph the next day!! Besides, the pachadi looks really delicious. We make a curry with snake gourd with peanuts, this yogurt version looks amazing.

      Reply
    7. Pavani says

      September 24, 2016 at 6:08 pm

      Even I don't like eating just yogurt with rice, I have to mix something else with it -- some pachadi or a curry or something at all. That is a yummy looking potlakaya pachadi. I love the BG you used in the ingredient shot.

      Reply
    8. Priya Suresh says

      September 24, 2016 at 2:39 pm

      Fabulous pachadi, such a beautiful dish and i feel like grabbing that bowl rite from my lappy screen and enjoy, quite a lipsmacking dish.

      Reply
    9. Suja Ram says

      September 24, 2016 at 12:00 am

      Making Pachafi with Snake gourd is new to me. Nice variation Usha. Stunning pics yaar. Can't believe the bg for veggies is a tile. Love the denim bg too.

      Reply
    10. srividhya says

      September 23, 2016 at 11:30 am

      yummy pachadi.. I wish I could get some tender snake gourd.. great pick for yogurt theme

      Reply
    11. Kalyani says

      September 23, 2016 at 2:54 am

      I too add coconut like Harini ! we make this very regularly , almost once in 10 days and it tastes amazing with any south indian flavoured rice / Dal rice or even with veg upma ! you shouldn't speak any ill of ur pics 🙂 we love them - old or new food 🙂 that denim is giving me ideas to do something with my kiddo's jeans that she's outgrown 😀

      Reply
    12. Harini-Jaya R says

      September 22, 2016 at 3:11 pm

      I make this regularly but I add coconut also. Comfort food at its best!

      Reply
    13. Suma Gandlur says

      September 22, 2016 at 12:42 pm

      Love this Usha, with rice and some muddha pappu on side.

      Reply
    14. Nalini says

      September 22, 2016 at 7:56 am

      This snakegourd pachadi looks so tempting and a nice variation..I do the same with white pumpkin..

      Reply
    15. Gayathri Kumar says

      September 22, 2016 at 1:56 am

      I have never cooked pachadi with snake gourd. This veggie is used only in poriyal and that too rarely. This version looks so nice and let me try it...

      Reply
    16. Vaishali Sabnani says

      September 21, 2016 at 8:33 pm

      This is new to me ..I have never used snake gourd in cooking..to be frank the word snake just puts me off !..I have a very strong phobia...but I must say the dish looks interesting and well captured.. you can click any food Usha..fresh or leftover. the denim background is attractive.

      Reply

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