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Pathola curry
Snake gourd coconut curry
පතෝල කරිය (pathola curry): snake gourd in a mild turmeric and coconut milk white curry
Pathola curry is a quick, gentle white curry from everyday Sri Lankan rice-and-curry lunches, especially loved in the south where snake gourd grows on trellises behind most houses. Thin half-moons of gourd simmer for a few minutes in coconut milk with turmeric, green chilli, curry leaves and a pinch of fenugreek, so they stay pale green, soft and juicy. Serve it with rice, dal and a fiery sambol. The usual mistake is overcooking, which turns the gourd watery and grey; pull it off as soon as it is translucent. Chef's tip: scrape the soft white pith and seeds out with a spoon; they water the curry down.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 1 ⅛ lb snake gourdscraped, seeds removed, sliced into half-moons
- ½ red onionsliced
- 2 cloves garlicsliced
- 2 green chilliesslit
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- ¼ tsp fenugreek seeds
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- ¾ tsp salt
- 1 cup thin coconut milk
- ½ cup thick coconut milk
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Method
0/3 doneStep 1: Put 1 ⅛ lb snake gourd, ½ red onion, 2 cloves garlic, 2 green chillies, 1 sprig curry leaves, ¼ tsp fenugreek seeds, ½ tsp ground turmeric and ¾ tsp salt in a pan with 1 cup thin coconut milk.
3 minStep 2: Bring to a simmer over a medium heat and cook uncovered for 7–8 minutes, until the gourd turns translucent and is just tender when pressed.
8 minStep 3: Stir in ½ cup thick coconut milk and heat for 2 minutes without boiling, until the curry is creamy. Serve straight away.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 150 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 9 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does pathola curry take?
- About 25 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of red onion?
- White onion or shallots, same amount (soak raw onion in cold water for 10 minutes to soften it).
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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