Pakarkaai Pitlai

Pakarkaai Pitlai (Bitter gourd pitlai) is yet another recipe from my Amma’s cook book. As a child, I always hated Bitter gourd, though its a healthy vegetable. If I see Bitter gourd in fridge, I go crazy, even without tasting it. I will say a big no. I always want some other dish when bitter gourd is cooked at home. One day I was with Amma in the kitchen when she was preparing pitlai. I saw her adding a tsp of jaggery to the dish. I was so happy seeing jaggery, and tasted it that day. After tasting the dish, I liked it, and surprisingly didn’t feel the bitterness. From that day onwards I started eating Pitali. Later when I started cooking, I realized even without Jaggery Pitalai tastes good. But i started liking the dish because of jaggery, so I add it even now 🙂

Pakarkaai Pitlai

Preparation Time : 10 mins | Soaking time : 4 hours |Cooking Time : 30 mins

Category:Rice Accompaniments

Ingredients :

Bitter gourd – 1

Turmeric powder – 1/8 tsp

Toor Dal – 1/2 cup

Chickpea/Channa – 1/3 cup (Soak Channa overnight/ in hot water for 4 hours)

Sambar Powder – 1 tsp

Curry Leaves – Few

Tamarind –  small Lemon size

Jaggery – 1 tsp

Asofedtida – generous pinch

Salt – as needed

For Grinding:

Grated Coconut – 1/4 cup

Red Chillies – 2 ( Adjust according to your spice level)

Coriander Seeds – 1 tbsp

Channa dal – 1/2 tbsp

For Seasoning:

Oil – 1 tsp

Mustard Seeds – 1/4 tsp

Fenugreek – 1/8 tsp

Method:

• Soak the tamarind in warm water for 10  -15 minutes  and extract the pulp. Pressure cook the toor dal and channa, and keep it aside. (To save time I generally cook both together)
• Dry roast red chillies, coriander seeds and channa dal till they turn golden brown color, and switch off. After it comes to room temperature add coconut and grind everything to a fine paste by adding water and keep it aside

• Add turmeric powder and small pieces of tamrind (Adding both removes the bitterness) to bitter gourd and cook it (I microwaved for 5 minutes). Strain them

• Add oil to the pan, when the Oil is hot add mustard seed and fenugreek. let it splutter. Add the cooked bitter gourd and saute for 3-4 mins. Add tamarind extract, Sambar powder, hing, turmeric powder and salt and allow it to boil for 5 minutes till the raw smell goes off tamarind

• Add the cooked toor dal and channa, cook for 5-10 mins till you get the aroma. Add grounded paste and jaggery. When Bitter gourd  Pitlai starts boiling, switch off the flame

Tagged: a, arachuvitta, bitter gourd, channa, coconut, garlic, i, kothu kadalai, no, Onion, pakarka, pavakka, pitla, Recipe, s, Sambar, sambhar, traditional