Bitter gourd curry /pavakka curry

Bitter gourd is not usually a popular vegetable but certain preparations make it easy to go with. This is made with bitter gourd and fried coconut. Tamarind juice is added to this which gives a sour taste and that goes very well with the bitter taste of bitter gourd. This recipe was given to me by my friend Deepthi. This goes very well with rice.

Ingredients
Bitter gourd – 2nos (small size)
Lengthwise sliced onion – 1no
Sliced tomato – 2tsp (optional)
Ginger and garlic paste – 2tsp
Curry leaves – a few
Tamarind – one small ball like gooseberry
Mustard seeds – ½ tsp
Turmeric – ½ tsp
Kashmiri chilly powder – 2tsp
Coriander powder – 1tsp
Oil – 2tsp

For grinding
Grated coconut – 4tsp
Sliced shallots / small onion – 4tsp
Oil – ½ tsp

How to prepare
=►Clean and cut bitter gourd into small pieces.
=►Add little bit salt into it and mix it well and leave it for ½ an hour…
=►Soak tamarind in ½ cup of water and make juice.
=►Heat ½ tsp oil in a pan, add grated coconut and shallots into it.
=►Fry it till the coconut turns light brown color and grind it well.

=►Heat 2tsp of oil in pan, put mustard seeds allow it to crack.
=►When it cracks add ginger-garlic paste, curry leaves and sauté it well.
=►Add sliced onion and tomato (optional) into it and fry it well
=►Then add bitter gourd pieces and sauté it well.
=►Add turmeric, chilly and coriander powder into it.
=►Allow it to cook for 3-5 min on medium flame.
=►Add tamarind juice and cook for 4-5min.
=►Finely add grinded coconut paste into it and allow it to boil for 1-2min.
=►Switch off the flame. It goes well with plain rice.

This participates in Vegetable Marathon - Bitter Gourd, hosted by Nithu and started by Silpa.