(Bitter Gourd Fry with Tamarind, Jaggary and Coconut)
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Prep Time: 10 mins
Cooking Time: 25-30 mins
Serves: 4-6
Recipe Source: MIL Ingredients:
2 medium Bitter Gourds, sliced length wise, seeds removed and cut into 1 cm cubes
1 medium lime sized Tamarind Pulp, soaked in ½ cup of hot water and juice extracted
2-3 tbsp Jaggary/Palm Sugar
½ tsp Turmeric Powder
Salt to taste
For Roasted Spices & Coconut Paste:
1-1½ tbsp White Sesame Seeds
½ tbsp Urad Dal/Split black Lentils
1 tbsp Coriander Seeds
1 tsp Jeera/Cumin Seeds
2-4 Dry Red Chillies, halved (Adjust acc to taste)
½ cup fresh/frozen grated Coconut
For Tadka/Tempering:
1 tsp Mustard Seeds
1 Dried Red Chilli, broken into 1 inch pieces
A big pinch of Hing/Asafoetida
Few Curry Leaves
½ tbsp Oil
Take
chopped bitter gourd pieces in a colander and mix well with about 1 tsp
of salt. Place a bowl of water (that fits well in colander) on top of
colander containing bitter gourds. Keep this aside for at least 30 mins
near sink. This way some of bitter juices from bitter gourd will be
released.
For Roasted Spices & Coconut Paste:
Heat
a pan and add urad dal, white sesame seeds, coriander seeds, cumin
seeds and dry red chillies on medium to low flame till nice aroma of
roasted spices comes and dal turns golden red in colour, about 3 mins.
Transfer these roasted spices to clean and dry plate.
In a same pan
dry roast fresh or thawed frozen coconut till it turns light golden,
about 1-2 mins, on medium-low flame. Transfer these contents to roasted
spices and let them cool slightly.
Next transfer all these roasted
spices and coconut into a food processor and grind them to smooth paste
without adding any water. Keep it aside till needed.
Take
bitter gourd pieces along with jaggary, tamarind extract and salt to
taste in a microwave safe bowl with lid. Add about ¼-½ cup of water and
close the lid. Cook this in microwave for 10 mins.
Open the lid and mix all the ingredients and cover and cook for another 5-10 minutes till the bitter gourd is almost cooked.
Now
add ground roasted spice and coconut paste and mix well. Cook uncovered
for another 7-10 minutes till all water evaporated and the palya looks
dry.
For Tadka/Tempering:
Heat
oil in a pan and add mustard seeds to it. When mustard starts to pop
and splutter, add dry red chilli, hing and curry leaves. Sauté it for
around 30 seconds and transfer the contents to Bitter Gourd Palya. Mix
them well before serving it hot or cold along with a bowl of freshly
steam cooked Rice and enjoy this bitter goodness!
Remember to consume this curry in moderation as bitter gourd taken in overdose may result in heartburns.
Labels:
Ayurveda,
Bitter Gourd,
Coconut,
Karnataka food,
Mangalore food,
Palya