Step 1

Firstly rinse 2 tablespoons chana dal and then soak them in ⅓ cup hot water for 30 minutes.

Step 2

Rinse and then peel 1 snake gourd. Cut the snake gourd in two or 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.

Step 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.

Step 4

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

Step 5

Let the mustard seeds crackle.

Step 6

Then add ½ teaspoon cumin seeds.

Step 7

Stir and let the cumin seeds also crackle.

Step 8

Then add chopped padwal, 7 to 8 curry leaves (whole or chopped) and 1 green chili (chopped). Mix well.

Step 9

Add ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder and 1 pinch asafoetida (hing). Mix again.

Step 10

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

Step 11

Add salt as per taste.

Step 12

Add 1 cup water.

Step 13

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

Step 14

Do check the 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.

Step 15

When the padwal and chana dal are cooked well & all the water has dried up in the bhaji, then add 3 tablespoons 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.

Step 16

Lastly add 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves. mix well.

Step 17

Serve snake gourd bhaji with chapatis or as a side dish with dal-rice or varan bhaat. This sabzi also goes very well as a side dish with sambar-rice or rasam-rice.