Stuffed & Fried Snake Gourd Rings

In my last post I had promised you all another snake gourd recipe. Well, here I am with two variations in the recipes for the price of one!!

The first (potato) one is the typical Konkani type but the other one (gram flour) is the Maharashtrian version. Yet another filling variation is to substitute sweet potato for the regular potato stuffing. All the versions are equally tasty.

Generally salt is applied to the cut snake gourd rings and then stuffed. But here, I have steamed the snake gourd rings first before stuffing. This is one of my friend’s suggestions which I have followed and I feel it’s a healthier version. Moreover, it takes less time to cook during frying and with the result less oil is also used.

Steamed snake gourd rings with the stuffings

Stuffed and fried snake gourd rings

Ingredients:

Snakegourd (small)	1
Boiled Potato (large)	1
Onion (chopped)	1
Green Chilly (chopped)	1 or as per taste
Corriander leaves(chopped)	1 tbsp
Lemon juice	1 tsp
Salt	as per taste
Oil	for shallow frying
Fine semolina/ sooji/rawa	2-3 tbsps

Method :

1. Wash and scrape the snake gourd and scoop out the seeds and the pulp.
2. Cut it into 1.5" size rings. Steam these rings for about 15 minutes and keep aside.
3. Mash the boiled potato in a bowl and add to it the chopped onions, chopped green chilies, salt and lime juice. Mix it well.
4. Stuff this mixture into the Snake gourd rings.
5. Heat a frying pan and smear oil on it. Roll each stuffed snake gourd rings into the fine semolina and fry it in the frying pan with the heat lowered. Add oil all around if necessary and do the same on the other side till golden brown.
6. Remove and serve hot.

About 11 rings can be cut from one small snake gourd.

II - Variation

Ingredients : Gram flour, turmeric powder, chilly powder, jeera (cumin) powder, pepper powder, salt, sugar, eno or soda and tamarind water.

Mix all these ingredients to form a thick paste and stuff this into the steamed snake gourd rings. Frying procedure is the same as mentioned above.

Note:

• This can be eaten as a side dish or as an evening snack.
  
• You can substitute boiled sweet potatoes for the regular potato in which case add asafoetida and another chilly to the stuffing mixture as sweet potato is naturally sweet.