Pavakkai Pitla

Pavakkai, known as bittergourd in English and Karela in Hindi, is loaded with nutrients. It has many vital vitamins and minerals and helps fighting diabetes and cholesterol. Also it has blood purifying properties and helps in strengthening our immune system. So its good to include bittergourd in our diet in the form of juice, stir-fry or this pitla.

Pavakkai pitla / parikka pitla is a traditional Palakkad specialty recipe. Pavakkai / bittergourd is cooked with tamarind, dal, coconut and ground spices. Bittergourd is not a preferred vegetable by many because of its bitter taste. But in this curry, the bitterness is balanced with the jaggery, chillies and tamarind. Since you will not feel much bitterness in the gravy, this pitla recipe is an excellent way to incorporate bittergourd in our meal. Serve hot with rice and kootu or any thoran/poriyal.

Pavakkai Pitla

Bittergourd cooked in a tamarind gravy with jaggery, coconut, red chillies and other ground spices

Print Pin Recipe

Servings 4

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Ingredients

• Pavakkai / Bittergourd – 1 medium sized
• Tamarind – 1 lemon size
• Toor dal / Pigeon peas – 1/2 cup
• Jaggery – 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
• Oil – 2 tsp
• Salt – to taste

To roast and grind

• Oil – 1 tsp
• Coriander seeds – 1 tsp
• Chana dal / Kadalai parippu – 1 tsp
• Split urad dal – 1/2 tsp
• Dried red chillies – 5 to 6
• Black peppercorn – 6
• Asafoetida / Hing – 1/8 tsp
• Curry leaves – 4
• Coconut – 1/2 cup

To temper

• Oil – 1 tsp
• Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
• Dried red chillies – 1
• Curry leaves – 1 sprig
• Asafoetida / Hing – a pinch

Instructions

• In a small pan, heat 1 tsp oil and add asafoetida, coriander seeds, chana dal, peppercorn, red chilies, curry leaves and fry till the chana dal turns golden.
• To this add coconut and fry for a minute. Remove from heat, cool and grind to a smooth paste adding little water. Set aside.
• Soak tamarind in 1 1/2 cup hot water and extract the pulp.
• Pressure cook the toor dal in 1 cup water with a pinch of turmeric powder. Mash the dal well and set aside.
• Cut the bittergourd half in lengthwise and scrap off the seeds and white part from the middle. Now cut them into small pieces.
• Heat 2 tsp oil and add the bittergourd pieces. Fry them in medium flame for around 5-6 minutes.
• Now add tamarind water, jaggery, turmeric powder and salt. Boil until the raw smell of tamarind goes and bittergourd is cooked.
• Now add the ground paste and bring to boil. Once it starts to boil add the mashed dal, salt and mix well. Add little water if needed to bring to a medium thick consistency.
• Allow this to boil for 3-4 minutes and remove from heat.
• In a tadka pan, heat oil and add mustard seeds. When it pops, add red chillies, curry leaves, asafoetida and pour over the curry.

Notes

• The consistency of pitla should be thicker than sambar.
• You can add 1 tsp more jaggery if you feel the curry is very bitter.

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Indian

Keyword: Side Dish for Rice