Bitter Gourd Theeyal

Bitter gourd Theeyal (Pavakka Theeyal) is a delicious bitter gourd curry cooked in a roasted coconut tangy masala gravy adding shallots, goes well with rice.A tasty Bitter gourd Theeyal recipe is explained with step by step method and photos.

The following ingredients are needed to prepare Bitter gourd Theeyal.

Ingredients:-

Bitter gourd.   -2 (light green colour variety)
Shallots.          - 8
Green chillies. -3
Ginger.            - a very small piece
Garlic.             -3 cloves
Tamarind.        - a gooseberry size
Salt.                 -to taste

For Roasted Coconut Masala paste:-

Grated Coconut.   -1 cup
Mustard seeds.      -1/2tsp
Methi seeds.          -1/4tsp
Coriander powder. -2tsp
Red chilly powder. -1tsp
Turmeric powder.   -1/4 tsp
Pepper powder.       -1/2tsp

For Seasoning:-

Coconut oil.        -1tbsp + 1tsp
Shallots.              - 2 (chopped)
Dry Red chillies. - 4 (broken into halves)

Instructions:-

1). Wash 2 light green colour Bitter gourds in water and chop lengthwise and remove the seeds.Again chop the Bitter gourd into 1 inch lengthy pieces and keep aside.

light green colour Bitter gourds

. Peel the outer skin of Shallots, wash well and keep aside.

. Wash and slit Green chillies and keep aside.

. Peel and chop Garlic into thin slices and keep aside.

. Scrap and remove the outer skin of a small Ginger piece, wash well and chop into very thin pieces and keep aside.

. Keep aside the chopped Bitter gourd, peeled whole Shallots, slit Green chillies, thinly chopped Ginger and Garlic on a plate. Add little Salt and mix with all the above ingredients and keep aside for 30 minutes.

2). Steam cook all the above ingredients till soft and keep aside on a plate.

3). Soak Tamarind in 1/4 cup of  warm water and extract Tamarind pulp and keep aside.

4). Heat a pan and dry roast Methi seeds (Fenugreek seeds) and Mustard seeds for few seconds and keep aside on a plate. In the same pan add grated Coconut and roast till golden brown colour. Lower the flame and add Red chilly powder, Coriander powder, Turmeric powder and Pepper powder. Mix all the spice powders, roasted Methi seeds and roasted Mustard seeds with roasted Coconut and switch off the flame. Allow all the roasted ingredients to cool.

5). Grind all the above roasted ingredients together to a smooth paste adding very little water. Keep aside the ground Coconut Masala paste.

Method:-

1). Heat 1tbsp Coconut oil in a cooking kadai on medium flame.

2). Add the steam cooked ingredients (Bitter gourd pieces, whole Shallots, slit Green chillies, thinly chopped Ginger and Garlic pieces) into the cooking kadai and saute well.

3). Add required Salt and extracted Tamarind pulp to the steam cooked Bitter gourd pieces and mix well. Cover and cook for 2 minutes on low flame.

4). Add the ground Coconut Masala paste into the cooking kadai and mix with the cooked Bitter gourd pieces.

5). Boil and cook the Bitter gourd pieces in Coconut Masala paste on low flame for 2 minutes and saute in between. Switch off the flame.

6). Heat1tsp Coconut oil in a small pan for seasoning and splutter Mustard seeds and saute well. Add the chopped Shallots and fry in oil till golden brown colour. Add broken dry Red chilly pieces into the pan and fry well. Add Curry leaves and fry for a second and switch off the flame.

7). Pour the above seasoning into the curry in the cooking kadai and mix well.

8). Transfer the Bitter gourd Theeyal to a serving bowl.

A very tasty Bitter gourd Theeyal is ready to serve with rice.