Recipes
- ½ cup Red Gram/Thuvaram Paruppu/Thuvar Dhal
- 200 g / 2 medium Bitter gourd/Paharkai/Karela
- 1½ teaspoons Thick Tamarind Pulp
- ¼ teaspoon Turmeric Powder/Manjal Podi/Haldi
- 1½ tablespoons Pitlai Powder
- A few Curry Leaves/Karuveppalai/Kari Patha, torn roughly
- ½ teaspoon Vellam/Gur/Molasses (optional)
- ½ teaspoon Salt
For seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon Mustard Seeds/Kadugu/Rai
- ½ teaspoon Black Gram/Ulutham Paruppu/Urad Dhal
- 2 teaspoon Oil
- Cook the thuvar dhal in 2½ cups of water to a very soft consistency. Or, pressure cook for 4 to 5 whistles.
- Slice the bitter gourd into thin circular/semi-circular pieces.
- Heat the oil and pop the mustard. Add half the curry leaves and chopped vegetable and stir for 2 minutes.
- Add turmeric powder and salt and 1½ cups of water.
- Simmer over a medium flame for 10-12 minutes or until the vegetable is soft.
- Stir in the tamarind pulp and simmer over a medium flame for a couple of minutes.
- Add the pitlai powder, remaining curry leaves and cooked dhal.
- Stir for a couple of minutes. If the gravy is too thick, add a little water.
Serve hot with steamed rice.
Timely Tip: If the vegetable is bitter you may drain the water and add ½ teaspoon of vellam/
gur/molasses and use the vegetable.
Tasty Tip: Palghat chefs deep fry the bitter gourd and add after the gravy is cooked. They
also roast a tablespoon of grated coconut until brown and the aroma is released. Add this
finally as a garnish.
