Padavalanga Elissery/Kerala Snakegourd Curry

After a lipsmacking tangy Chettinad gravy, am taking you all to God's own country, my today's post is a Kerala style curry. You might have heard a lot about Erissery but what is Elissery, its also a curry dish served during onam sadya. While whatapping a friend, i heard that she cooked Elissery, i was totally confused when i heard the name of this dish, then later she explained me that this Elissery is one of her mom's signature dish which is cooked in most of the areas around Kannur.Obviously she explained me how to dish out this kootu curry. Without any fail, i prepared this Elissery for our lunch. Though this curry is prepared usually with channa dal, you can also prepare this curry with toor dal.

This dish goes for an easying cooking and a grounded cumin flavoured coconut paste, obviously its a very easy curry dish to prepare in very less time. Apart from pressure cooking the dals and vegetables, you doesnt need anything specific to do with this dish. This curry smells too good with fantastic coconut flavor and a delicious curry to serve along with rice or else with rotis. I felt personally that this curry is one of the best way to sneak vegetables. If you had hard time feeding your kids with vegetables, give a try to this curry. We loved this Padavalanga Elissery very much. Am running this week's blogging marathon with Flavors of India as theme, hence am sharing Elissery for today's post.

1/2cup Channa dal (washed & soaked for half an hour )

1 Snakegourd (chopped)

1/4tsp Turmeric powder

1/2tsp Mustard seeds

1tsp Cumin seeds

Few curry leaves

2nos Broken red chillies

5 Shallots (chopped)

2tsp Coconut (shredded)

Oil

Salt

To grind:

1/4cup Grated coconut

3nos Dry red chillies

1tsp Cumin seeds

Take the soaked dal and chopped snakegourd in a pressure cooker with turmeric powder,salt and cook for three whistles.

Meanwhile, grind the coconut, dry red chillies, cumin seeds as fine paste, keep aside.

In a pan, heat enough oil, let crack the mustard seeds, cumin seeds,and fry the red chillies and curry leaves.

Add the chopped shallots, once the shallots turns transculent, add the shredded coconut and fry until the coconut turns golden brown.

Open the pressure cooker, add the seasoning,grounded paste and give a stir.

Serve hot with rice and papads.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing this BM#73.