Podi Paavakai(Bitter gourd) Kuzhambu

My mom use to do this curry with the normal size bitter gourd, I tried with the small ones which tasted absolutely fantastic, and wanted to share the recipe. This curry has the perfect blend of bitterness and sourness which tastes so great with plain white rice.


Ingredients:
Podi Paavakai(tiny bittergourds) -200gms(deseed and cut into half)
Shallots(sambar onions) -100gms(finely chopped)
Garlic -4-5 pods(chopped)
Tomatoes -2Nos(chopped)
Tamarind Extract - with a lemon size of tamarind
Coconut oil -3tsp
Mustard Seeds -1tsp
Curryleaves -few

For the Masala:
Coconut(scraped) -1cup
Fenugreek -2tsp
Cuminseeds -1tsp
Peppercorns -1tsp
Chilli powder -2 tsp
Dhania Powder -3tsp
Turmeric powder -1/4tsp
Curryleaves -few
Coconut oil -1tsp

Method:
1. Prepare the masala by roasting all the ingredients with a teaspoon of oil until coconut turns real roasty brown colour, and grind it to a smooth paste when it’s cool enough.
2. In a kadai, add oil, when its hot, temper with mustard, curryleaves, followed by shallots and garlic. Saute well till the onion turns slightly golden brown. Now add the chopped bitter gourd, and fry well for 10 minutes in medium flame. Then add the chopped tomatoes, fry well till it gets mushy.
3. Now add the tamarind extract, and allow the bittergourd to cook well for 10-15 mins.
4. Finally add the ground paste and allow it to boil for 5 minutes, add salt to taste.
5. And that’s it. Enjoy with plain rice with fried appalams.