Bittergourd Pitlai
Ingredients:
- toor dal and channa dal(in equal proportion) 75 gms
- tamarind the size of a small lemon
- bitter gourd 100 gm
- salt to taste
- a pinch of turmeric powder
- urad dal 1/2 tsp
- coriander seeds 1 tsp
- channa dal(for grinding) 1 tsp
- red chillies 4
- a pinch of asafoetida powder
- coconut, grated 3 tsp
- rice flour 1/2 tsp
- mustard 1/4 tsp
Method:
Cook the dal and keep aside. Soak the tamarind in a little water and keep aside. Cut each of the gourds into 2 longitudinally. Remove the seeds and again cut the halves into 1" pieces and keep aside. Fry the urad dal, coriander seeds, channa dal, red chillies and asafoetida in a little
oil until the dal turns golden brown; grind these fried ingredients along with grated coconut into a fine smooth paste, sprinkle water if necessary and keep aside. Squeeze out the tamarind, retaining the tamarind and water solution; dilute this solution with 400 ml water. Take 150 ml of
the tamarind and water solution in a seperate vessel and cook the bittergourd in this solution, after adding a pinch of salt and a pinch of turmeric powder; drain the vegetable and keep aside after it is cooked. Dissolve the rice flour in a little water and keep aside. Dissolve the paste
in the remaining tamarind and water solution and bring the solution to a boil. When the aroma of tamarind subsides add the vegetable to the boiling solution. Add the rice flour and water solution and remove from fire when the boiling ingredients begin to thicken. Season with fried mustard,
add salt to taste and serve hot.