Pavakkai Pitlai

Directions

• Slit the bitter gourds and remove the seeds. Cut it into small pieces. Sprinkle little salt and mix well. Keep it aside.
• Soak tamarind in water and squeeze out the juice by adding 3 cups of water little by little.
• Pressure cook the thuvar dhal till soft.
• In a kadai put a teaspoon of oil and roast Bengal gram dhal, urad dhal, coriander seeds, pepper, jeera and red chillies separately.
• Add coconut gratings at the end and fry for a while. Remove and cool. Mix all the roasted ingredients and fried coconut grating and grind to a fine paste.
• Add the tamarind juice in a vessel and add turmeric powder and salt. Bring to boil.
• When it starts boiling, take a handful of bitter gourd pieces and squeeze out all the water and add to the boiling tamarind juice.
• Add all the pieces like this. Allow to boil.
• When the bitter gourd is well cooked, add the ground paste, cooked dhal and mix well.
• Let it boil for few more minutes. Season it with mustard and curry leaves.
• Note:
• If you desire, you can add a small piece of jaggery to lessen the bitterness.