Pakarkaai Pitlai (Bitter gourd Pitlai)

Pakarkaai Pitlai  is a famous kuzhambu in Kerala and some parts of Tamil Nadu. Many of us hate to eat Bitter gourd because of the obvious reason of its bitter taste. But Bitter gourd is a healthy vegetable. It is good for stomach. It has the ability to lower the blood glucose in diabetics. So It is better to take bitter gourd at regular intervals. Instead of deep fry, we can shallow fry the bitter gourd and use it in Pitlai.

Method for making Pakarkaai Pitlai (Bitter gourd Pitlai) with Step by Step Pictures:

• Soak the tamarind in water and extract the juice. Pressure cook the thurdal and smash it and keep it aside
• Pour the oil in the pan and fry the red chillies, coriander seeds, urdhal, channa dal and pepper till the dals turn golden brown color. Take the fried ingredients in a mixer

• To the pan, add grated coconut, curry leaves, Hing and fry till it turns golden red color. Cool this and take it in the mixer

• Grind the above ingredients to a fine paste and keep it aside

• Finely chop the bitter gourd and keep it aside. Pour the oil the in the pan and add chopped bitter gourd

• Shallow fry the bitter gourd in medium flame to avoid the bitter taste. Take this aside in a plate.

• Pour the oil the in the pan and add mustard seeds once the oil is hot. When the mustard seeds begins to sputter, add curry leaves and fry for 2 seconds. Add tamarind extract and salt and allow it to boil for 5 minutes to get rid off the raw smell of tamarind. To this add the fried bitter gourd pieces.

• Finally add the ground paste and smashed dal and when the Bittergourd(Paavakaai) Pitlai starts boiling switch off the flame.

• The yummy and tangy Pakarkaai Pitlai (Bitter gourd Pitlai) is ready to serve with hot rice.

Pakarkaai Pitlai (Bitter gourd Pitlai)