Pavakkai Pitlai (Bitter gourd Pitlai)

Bitter gourd Pitlai or Pavakkai Pitlai is a coconut based South Indian gravy dish made with bitter gourd along with toor dal, tamarind and fresh ground spices and goes well with rice or chapathi. Pavakkai Pitlai recipe is explained with step by step mehod and photos.

The following ingredients are needed to prepare Bitter gourd Pitlai /Pavakkai Pitlai.

Ingredients:-

Bitter gourd.        - 2 medium size.
Toor dal.               -1/2 cup
Tamarind.             - a marble size.
Turmeric powder. -1/2tsp
Jaggery.                 - 2 tbsp (crushed)
Salt.                       - to taste
Coconut oil.           -1tsp

For grinding Coconut Masala paste:-

Grated Coconut. -1 cup
Red chillies.        - 4
Urad dal.             -1tsp
Chana dal.           -1tsp
Curry leaves.        -1spring

For Seasoning:-

Coconut oil.     -1tsp
Mustard seeds. -1tsp
Curry leaves.    -1 spring
Hing powder.    -1/4 tsp

For Roasting:-

Coconut oil.       -1/2tsp +1tsp
Grated coconut. -1/4 cup

Instructions:-

1). Wash bitter gourds in water and chop vertically into halves and remove the seeds. Again chop the bitter gourds into 3/4 inch lengthy small pieces. Wash again and keep aside.

2). Wash toor dal and pressure cook for 2 whistles adding sufficient water and keep aside.

3).Soak tamarind in 1cup of water for 5 minutes. Squeeze and extract tamarind juice and keep aside.Discard the residue.

4). Heat 1tsp coconut oil in a pan and fry the curry leaves and keep aside on a plate.Roast urad dal and chana dal in the same pan till dals turn to golden brown colour and keep aside on the same plate.Roast dry Red chillies till crisp and keep aside on the plate. Lastly add grated coconut in the same pan and roast till golden brown colour and keep aside on the same plate.

5). Grind all the roasted ingredients to a smooth paste adding 2 tbsp of water. Keep aside the ground coconut masala paste.

6). Roast 1/4 cup of grated coconut seperately in 1/4 tsp coconut oil till golden brown colour and keep aside.

Method:-

1). Heat coconut oil in a wide bottom pan and add chopped bitter gourd pieces and saute well on low flame.

2). Add extracted tamarind juice into the pan and boil well.

3). Add turmeric powder and 

required salt into the pan and mix with the bitter gourd pieces.Cover and cook the bitter gourd pieces on low flame for 2 minutes.

4). Add pressure cooked toor dal and crushed jaggery into the pan and mix well with the cooked bitter gourd pieces.

5). Add little water and mix well all the ingredients in the pan and boil on low flame.

6). Add ground coconut masala paste into the pan and mix well.Add 1/2 cup of water and make a semi thick gravy. Boil for 2 minutes on low flame and switch off the flame.

7). Heat coconut oil in a small pan for seasoning and splutter mustad seeds and saute well. Add curry leaves and fry in oil for a second. Add hing powder and saute well and switch off the flame.

8). Pour the above seasoning and roasted coconut gratings into the bitter gourd gravy in the pan and mix well.

9). Transfer the bitter gourd gravy to a serving bowl.

A tasty and delicious Bitter gourd Pitlai/ Pavakkai Pitlai is ready to serve with rice or chapathi.