Pavakkai Puli Kulambu/ Bitterguord curry

 

Pavakkai is one of my hubby's favourite vegetable preferably as puli kulambu. Besides it is loaded with lots of precious nutrients So i try to include it as much as possible.Most of them avoid this wonderful veggie because of its bitterness .There are many tricks to reduce the bitterness by soaking it in saltwater or in tamarind extract or in curd and also washing it several times in lots of water. I didd'nt soaked it but somehow the bitterness is reduced in this curry because of frying it before adding it to the gravy. It tastes really good even my little one liked it...

 

Have a try you too will love...

 

Ingredients

Bitterguard – 2

Oil - 2 tsp

Cumin seeds / Jeeragam - 1 tsp

Curry leaves - 1 spring

Onion - 1 chopped

Tomato - 2 nos chopped

Garlic Cloves - 4 chopped

Turmeric powder / Manjal podi - 1/2 tsp

Chilli powder / Milagai thool - 1 tsp

Corriander powder / Kothamalli thool - 2 and 1/2 tsp

Tamarind - a small lemon sized

Coconut - 1/2 cup shredded  

 

For Tempering
Oil - 3 tsp

Mustard seeds / Kadugu - 1/2 tsp

Urad dal / Ulunthamparupu - 1/2 tsp

Fenugreek seeds/ Vendhayam - 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves - 1 spring

Asafoetida / perungayathool - a generous pinch  

 

Preparation
Cut the veggie and grab your ingredients.Soak tamarind and extract the juice and keep it aside .

 

Heat 1 tsp oil in a kadai and saute the sliced bitterguard for 5 mins and keep it aside.

 

Preparation of Masala

Heat 1 tsp oil in the kadai and splutter cumin seeds .Add curry leaves. Add onions and

garlic cloves and fry for few mins.

 

.

Now add the tomatoes and fry till mushy. 

Add the shredded coconut and mix well.Switch off the flame and add the coriander powder and mix well.

Let it cool down and grind it to a fine paste.Now the masala and fried bitterguord is ready.

 Preparation of Gravy

Heat oil in a kadai and add the ingredients under tempering.wait for spluttering.Now add a tbsp of

chopped onion and fry for a min

 

 

Add the fried veggie and the grounded masala and required salt .

And then add the tamarind extract with 2 cups of water .Mix in the turmeric powder and chilli powder .Let it boil for few mins.

Cover the lid and Simmer the flame .Allow to cook until the raw flovours of the masala goes and the

oil floats on the top.

 

 

 

Now you can enjoy this curry with steamed rice.