BITTERGOURD / PAVAKKA PACHADI

INGREDIENTS:

Bitter gourd	1 large
Salt	As per taste
Turmeric powder	¼ tsp
Tamarind	Gooseberry – sized ball
Jaggery	1 tbsp
Coconut	2 tbsp
Dry red chili	1 small
Gingelly oil	1.5 tbsp
Oil	1 tsp
Curry leaf	1 sprig
Mustard seeds	½ tsp
Orid dal	1/2 tsp

METHOD:

• Wash the bitter gourd thoroughly and remove the seeds from the bitter gourd. Cut the bitter gourd into semi-circles.  Put the bitter gourd pieces in a bowl and add a tsp of salt to it. Mix well and keep aside for 20-30 mins.
• Meanwhile, add ½ cup of hot water to tamarind and extract the pulp from it. Keep aside.
• Now slightly squeeze out the excess water from the bitter gourd and rinse it once to remove the excess salt and bitterness.
• In a kadai, heat 1.5 tbsp of gingelly oil on medium flame. Add the bitter gourd pieces, salt turmeric powder and shallow fry the bitter gourd until crispy.
• Add the extracted tamarind pulp to the fried bitter gourd and cook for 5 mins. Then add 1 tbsp of jaggery and let it melt. The addition of jaggery helps to balance the bitter and sour taste, so add as little or more as per your choice.
• In another small pan, add ½ tsp of oil and roast a dry chili. Grind the roasted chili with 2 tbsp of coconut into a smooth paste.
• When the jaggery melts, add the coconut paste to the cooked bitter gourd and cook for 3-4 mins. Turn off the flame and transfer to a bowl.
• In the same pan, add ½ tsp of oil and heat on medium flame. Add mustard seeds, orid dal and curry leaves. Once the seeds splutter, add the tempering to the pachadi.
• Serve warm with a bowl of rice and enjoy!