TP's KITCHEN - PAVAKKAI PITLAI

Pavakkai (bittergourd) is a vegetable which I hated the most during my young days. For the first 20 years of my existence in this world I completely avoided this vegetable. I developed a taste for it after I grew up and now I love this vegetable. It is one of my favourite vegetables. It has become a regular feature in my kitchen now, so much that I cook bittergourd once atleast every week.

I make both Pavakkai Pitlai as well as Pavakkai fry. I want to share the recipe of Pavakkai Pitlai in this blog.

Cut the Pavakkai (bittergourd) into small pieces as shown in the picture above. While cutting the vegetable you have to carefully remove the seeds and the white matter around the seeds - scrap it off nicely with a small spoon.

Take tamarind - the size of two lemons - and put the tamarind in hot water and leave it soaking for atleast 10 minutes. Squeeze the tamarind and use half measure of the tamarind water for boiling the bittergourd. Keep the other half measure of tamarind water aside as we need it later for making the pitlai. Boil the half measure of tamarind water with Paavakkai (bittergourd). Before boiling the tamarind water and vegetable, add little bit of turmeric powder and a pinch of salt. Allow it to boil well and then drain the water and keep the vegetable aside.

Take equal measure of Thoor Dhal (thuvaram paruppu) and Channa Dhal (kadala paruppu) - preferably two handful measures and boil it well. I normally add double the measure of water and keep it along with rice in the cooker. Rice and the dhal will get ready in about 10 minutes.

Pour two table spoons of oil (I use Corn Oil or Olive Oil) in fry pan and allow it to boil. Add two teaspoon measure of Urudh Dhal (muzhu ulutham paruppu), one teaspoon measure of Channa Dhal (Kadala paruppu), two teaspoon measure of Dhaniya, 5 red chillies and fry it well. Once this is fried well put the same into the mixie and add two handful measures of grated coconut and grind it well with little water. Add two teaspoons of salt. Your masala for the Pavakkai Pitlai is ready.

Take the tamarind water and boil it well for 5 minutes. Add the Masala which is mixed and kept ready in the mixie. Allow it to boil well for about 5 minutes and then add the boiled vegetable. Once it boils well now add the Dhal (thoor dhal plus channa dhal). You can add the dhal as it is along with the water it contains and there is no need to mash the dhal. Allow it to boil for about 5 minutes.

Pour little oild in fry pan and put mustard seeds, jeera and asafoetida (LG perungayam powder) and once the mustard seeds start jumping around switch off the gas. Add this thadka on top of the Pavakkai Pitlai.

Pavakkai Pitlai is now ready and can be stored in the fridge comfortably for 2 - 3 days. You can have it with plain rice; as side dish for rasam rice; as side dish for Dosa, Chapathi, Paratha & Parotta. I tried Pavakkai Pitlai as side dish with Adai yesterday night and it was very tasty and very satisfying.

Pavakkai (bittergourd) is very good for health as it has lot of medicinal values and properties.

Enjoy!.

T.P.Anand
Dubai, U.A.E.
17th April 2012