Bitter Gourd Fry:(Country Style)

Paavakkai-Mochai kottai Poriyal. Kakkarkkai Koora. Karela Sabzi.

This is an one unique dish, prepared in villages…using country bitter gourds(unlike store bought-hybrid ones)…these bitter gourds are small and called as ‘Merry Pavakai/Neri Pavakkai’ in Tamil. The dish has a right blend of ‘bitter-sour-sweet-hot’ all the four tastes in it. Here the gourd is actually cooked along with val beans, and jaggery.

Ingredients:

Bitter gourd 4 -6 small thinly sliced(in round shape)with skin and seeds.
Mochai kottai/Dry val beans -1 cup- soaked overnight in water
Onion 1 large finely chopped
Tomato 1 large finely chopped
Garlic 1 whole peeled and crushed
Salt
Turmeric powder 1/2 spoon
Chili powder 1-2 spoons
Coriander seeds powder 1 spoon
Tamarind paste 1-2 spoons
Jaggerry small lump
Sesame oil 1 cup
Mustard seeds 1/2 spoon
Cumin seeds 1/2 spoon
Asafoetida 1/2 spoons
Fenugreek seeds 1/4 spoon
Curry leaves few crisply fried for garnishing.

Method:

First pressure cook dry val beans. Maybe adding little salt to it. Then set it aside. Do not discard its water.

Heat oil inn a wok. Add mustard, cumin, fenugreek and asafoetida to this. Let it splutter.

Now add garlic and fry them till fragrant, followed by onions. Fry till they turn to golden color. And followed by tomatoes….fry them till it looses its water content.

Add chopped bitter gourd now and cover and cook. Maybe add the beans cooked water.

Once the gourd is 3/4 done. Add salt, turmeric powder, chili and coriander powder. Followed by tamarind paste and jaggery too. Stir in the cooked beans now. Cover and cook for few more minutes…..Until they blend together.

Then remove lid and cook over high heat….Fry really well, so that the gourd shows shiny oily coat with rich reddish brown color. A perfect blend of chili-salt and jaggery will give rich look to this ‘poriyal’.

Serve hot as a side dish with meals. It tastes better with rasam rice, curd rice and chappathis.