Pavarkaai Pitlai (Bitter gourd in spicy gravy)

Pavarkaai pitlai is a traditional dish and I used to make this often at home. This is a healthy dish with bitter melon and less oil. I know most of you would not cook pavarkaai (bitter gourd/bitter melon) because of it's taste. But this vegetable has lot of nutrients and it is considered to have high medicinal value. If you regularly consume bitter melon, you are sure to be away from lot of diseases. My mom used to cook lot of dishes with this vegetable. She also taught me how to reduce the bitterness in the bitter melon. If you really follow her steps, I'm sure you'l start to love bitter melon as much as I do. I have given the step-by-step procedure and hope you'l all start to cook bitter gourd and utilize it's health benefits.

Ingredients :

1. Bitter Gourd (Pavarkaai) - 2

2. Thoor Dhal - 1/4 Cup

3. Channa Dhal - 1/4 Cup

4. Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp

5. Tamarind - juice from a gooseberry sized ball

6. Sambar Powder - 1 tsp

7. Curry Leaf - A few

8. Salt - Needed qty

9. Mustard - 1 tsp

10. Oil - 2 tsp

For dry grind :

1. Urad dhal - 1 tsp

2. Channa dhal - 1/2 tsp

3. Red Chilly - 2 or adjust to your taste

4. Coconut - 1 tsp

5. Coriander seeds - 1 tsp (I used coriander powder)

Dry roast all the above ingredients till brown and powder using small mixer jar. Keep aside.

Procedure :

1. Wash the bitter gourds and cut them in to small pieces. Remove seeds.

2. Transfer the cut pieces to a vessel. Add little water, half the quantity of tamarind juice, turmeric powder and little salt. (You can very well see in the picture that the water and tamarind juice just covers the vegetable) Let the bitter gourd cook till the water evaporates. (This is how my mom removes bitterness from the bitter gourd)

4. Meanwhile, cook both the dhals together. Mash and keep aside.

5. In a pan, add oil. Splutter mustard. Then add bitter gourd and curry leaves. Fry for a minute.

6. Add the remaining tamarind juice, salt and sambar powder. Cover the pan with lid and let the contents boil for 10 minutes or the raw smell of the sambar powder is gone.

7. Now, add the cooked and mash dhal. Allow the contents to boil for another few minutes.

8. Finally, add the dry ground spice powder. Mix thoroughly. If you wish, you can add a little jaggery to enhance the taste.

9. Switch of the stove when the contents get thickened.

10. Enjoy with hot rice.

Serves : 2

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Karamani Kara Kuzhambu

Poricha Kuzhambu(with moong dhal)

Paruppu Urundai Kuzhambu

Apple Mor Kuzhambu

Mambazha Kuzhambu

Poricha Kuzhambu(with toor dhal)

Beet Stalks Dhal/kuzhambu

Ennai Kathirikai Kuzhambu

Who tried this recipe?
1. Sharanya