Bitter gourd curry / Pavakai Kuzhambu

The ugly and bitter taste green vegetable scares many of us. The bitter taste sticks in your tongue for hours and everything taken along taste bitter gourd. It rules the whole meal!

Tips to remove the bitterness: Cut the vegetable and boil in salted water and drain it. Or Sprinkle some salt to the cut vegetable and soak it for an hour. Squeeze out the water or wash with tap water.

I skip these two methods. Personally I feel, by removing the bitterness, the vegetable may loose any health benefit and I simply love the bitter taste.
The bitter gourd curry/Kuzhambu made with tamarind and coconut. The tanginess cuts the bitterness. This curry (Pavakai Kuzhambu) is pretty popular among Tamilian and it is my version of enjoy it with plain rice.

Ingredients:

Bitter gourd: 2 or 3 oblongs (slice it )
Tamarind: 2 tsp of paste mixed into ¼ cup of water.
Onion: ½ diced
Curry leaves: few
Garlic: 6 cloves
Jaggery: a small piece (optional)
Oil: 1 tsp
Salt: according ur taste

Masala: to be grind into paste
Pearl onion: 5 or 6
Coconut: 3 to 4 tbsp
Red chillis: 5 num
Coriander seeds: 1 tsp

Tempering:
Mustard: ½ tsp
Fenugreek: ½ tsp

Method:
Heat oil add the seasoning, once it starts to split add the onion, curry leaves and garlic and fry until translucent. Add the bitter gourd and fry until they turn soft and brown.
Add the ground masala and tamarind juice, adjust the salt and reduce the flame. The gravy should be thickening in 10 or 15 min. If you want to add Jaggery you can add it and switch off the stove.
The curry can be enjoyed with plain rice.

Note: If u don't like the tangy taste reduce the amount of tamarind and add the jaggery.

My bitter taste curry has been prepared to delight Pooja who picked Bitter gourd for VOW event.