Aunty Christine’s Refreshing Pathola (Snake Gourd) Salad

Did you know that Pathola (Snake Gourd) is a member of the squash family and is a vertical-hanging gourd that can grow to lengths of up to 6 feet? Imagine trying to cook one of those!

The food of Sri Lanka is as exotic and enticing as the paradise island itself and offers a plethora of delicious vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes to choose from. With influences from its Middle Eastern and European colonial past evident in a variety of them, there are also many that showcase Malaysian, Indian and Indonesian nuances.

While the island people cannot do without their fish and meat, vegetables also play a huge and vital role in their regular, every day rice and curry. Pathola is one of these favourites, which is cooked in an array of ways. 

This simple recipe is one I got from my mother's youngest sister, who by her own rights is an amazing cook herself. Hope you give it a try!

Find the link to the demo video for this recipe here: @patholasalad

 

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Ingredients:

 

2 cups pathola, small pieces

1 small onion, sliced

1 small tomato, sliced

4 green chillies, slit lengthwise

Salt & pepper to taste

Method:

 

Snake gourd can be quite long, it's better to first cut them in half so it's easier to work with. Some people scrape the outer sides as well, but I only scrape the inside and remove the seeds and spongy layer. 

Once I've done this, I cut each slice into half-moon shaped, small pieces, wash thoroughly, drain and then place them into a deep, serving dish. You can also place it on a platter, it is a salad after all ;)

Now toss in the onions, tomatoes and green chillies. I like to slice them into nice medium pieces, but you can cut them how you like... chopped, diced, etc.

Sprinkle the salt...

Sprinkle the pepper powder...

Now mix well. You can use a spoon to do this, but I prefer to use my hand because I feel this combines the seasonings and ingredients better..

Don’t forget to taste and add additional salt and/or pepper before serving if it is required.

I like to keep this salad simple, but if you want to make it more interesting, you can add some slices of radish, green apple or cucumber. Even a dash of lemon juice would definitely add some zing to it! Enjoy ;)

XOXO, Jovanka