Snake Gourd Recipe | Padwal Bhaji | Chichinda ki sabji

Snake gourd recipe with step by step photos – Simplicity at its best is this healthy sabzi made with snake gourd and chana dal (Bengal gram). Snake gourd is also known as padwal in Marathi, Chichinda in Hindi, Pudalangai in Tamil and Potlakaya in the Telugu language. This padwal bhaji is a vegan dish and makes for a healthy and delicious meal when paired with roti or chapati.

I use various types of gourds in my everyday cooking. So, I also end up making different recipes with various gourds at times. Sometimes, I make a sabzi or bhaji with them and at times I make sambar or a curry with them. This Snake Gourd Recipe is quite a preferred choice at home.

It is not one of these veggies that have many takers, but I really feel that you should consume it once in a while, for it is a storehouse of essential nutrients.

I make this delicious snake gourd bhaji with chana dal on occasions and it is one of the favorite dishes at home. This is a no onion no garlic recipe. The addition of onion is not required but if you want then you can add onions.

I always add chana dal in most bhajis that I make, as not only the chana dal adds some texture in the dish but also tastes good and some additional protein in the food always helps.

A few sabzi recipes with chana dal I have already shared are:

This Chichinda ki sabji is an easy and fuss-free dish that gets done in about 25 to 30 minutes. You can serve it with chapatis or phulkas.

You can also serve it as a side dish with varan-bhaat, dal-rice, sambar-rice, or rasam-rice. This Chichinda sabji also goes well in the tiffin box with some chapatis or parathas.

Step-by-Step Guide

How to make padwal bhaji (snake gourd recipe)

Preparation:

1. Firstly rinse 2 tablespoons chana dal and then soak them in ⅓ cup boiling hot water for 30 minutes. Cover the bowl and then soak.

2. Rinse and then peel 1 snake gourd (padwal). Cut the snake gourd in two to three pieces horizontally. Now take each cylindrical piece and cut it vertically from the center in two pieces. Remove the seeds and pith and discard them.

3. Now slice in 2 to 2.5 inches pieces. You will need 2 cups of chopped snake gourd. Also chop 1 green chili. Keep aside.

4. Heat 1.5 tablespoons oil in a shallow frying pan or kadai. Lower the flame and then add ½ teaspoon mustard seeds.

5. Let the mustard seeds crackle. Then add ½ teaspoon cumin seeds.

6. Stir and let the cumin seeds also crackle.

7. Then add chopped padwal (snake gourd).

8. Add 7 to 8 curry leaves (whole or chopped) and 1 green chili (chopped).

9. Mix well.

10. Now add ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder and 1 pinch asafoetida (hing). Mix again.

11. Drain all the water from the soaked chana dal and then add the chana dal. Mix well.

12. Add salt as per taste.

13. Add 1 cup of water.

Cooking padwal bhaji

14. Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and simmer the snake gourd pieces on a low to medium flame till they are cooked.

15. Do check the sabzi or bhaji at intervals to see if the snake gourd pieces are cooked or not and if the water has dried up.

If the water has dried up and the padwal or chana dal is yet to cook, then add some more water. Do note that the chana dal has to cook well. You can press a few chana dal pieces to check if they are done or not.

16. When the padwal and chana dal are cooked well and all the water has dried up in the bhaji, then add 3 tablespoons of fresh grated coconut. 

If there is any water then dry the sabzi completely by cooking without a lid to evaporate the water, before adding coconut.

17. Add 2 tablespoons of chopped coriander leaves.

18. Mix well.

19. Serve snake gourd bhaji with chapatis or as a side dish with dal-rice or varan bhaat. It also goes very well as a side dish with Sambar-rice or Rasam-rice.

If you are looking for more Veggie recipes then do check:

Please be sure to rate the recipe in the recipe card or leave a comment below if you have made it. For more veetarian inspirations, Sign Up for my emails or follow me on Instagram, Youtube, Facebook, Pinterest or Twitter.

This Snake Gourd Recipe post from the archives first published in September 2017 has been updated and republished on January 2023.

Source: Dassana’s Veg Recipes