Pavakkai poriyal ( Bitter Gourd Poriyal)

Pavakkai Poriyal Recipe, Bitter Gourd Stir-Fry Recipe – Recipe for Pavakkai Poriyal made with the addition of coconut. South Indian Tamil or Malayalam style recipe. Excellent side dish had along with rice.

INGREDIENTS

250 grams bitter gourd

2 tablespoon peanut oil / vegetable oil

1 tablespoon chana dal

1/2 tablespoon split white urad dal

1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds

2 dried red chillies

1 cup finely chopped onions

10 cloves garlic

2 sprigs curry leaves

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sambar powder

1/4 teaspoon sugar

1/4 cup fresh shredded coconut

Method :

Wash the bitter gourd and clean them. Remove the white part that holds the seeds of the bittergourd. Chop them into small pieces. Boil the bitter gourd with half a cup of water in a pressure cooker. Cook for just one whistle. Wait for the pressure in the cooker to settle naturally. Drain the water and set aside. You can serve the water as a soup. The water will be very bitter so drink it in one shot as its very healthy. Do not discard.

Heat peanut oil in a pan and add in the chana dal and urad dal. Saute for a few seconds. Add in the mustard seeds and dried red chillies. Let the mustard seeds crackle. Add in the finely chopped onions, curry leaves and garlic. The roasted garlic adds a nice flavor to the dish.

Saute the onions for a minute. Add in the turmeric powder, salt and the curry powder or sambar powder used in Tamil /Malayali households and can be sourced from a south Indian grocery store.

Add in the drained pavakkai / bittergourd.

Saute for a good 10-15 minutes on a low flame. Low flame is key for the veggies to get roasted and take on a golden colour. While the veggies are getting roasted, add in a pinch of sugar.

Keep sauteing till the onions and garlic have charred a bit and the bitter-gourd has shrunk and is roasted well and brown in colour. Everything in the pan should be well roasted and golden.

Now add in the fresh shredded coconut and mix well to combine. Bitter gourd stir-fry / pavakkai poriyal is ready. Serve hot with rice.