Pavakai Pazha (Bitter Melon) Pachadi

I bought some Midhi Pavakai, a variety of bitter gourd recently. I could not use it immediately, and it has become ripe (bitter melon) as shown in photograph below.

I prepared a delicious pachadi with this ripe bitter melon. Recipe for this lovely dish was given by my MIL. With Sweet, sour and some bitterness, it is a delicious side dish for rice. Other than this small variety of bitter melon, normal long or short ripe bitter melon can also be used to prepare this pachadi. Even you can try out this pachadi, with raw bitter gourd but I feel ripe bitter melon is less bitter than the raw one.

Serves: 4

Cooking time: 20 to 30 minutes

Ingredients

• Pavakai pazham (ripe midhi pavakai) – 250 grams
• Tamarind – lemon size (adjust as per your taste)
• Powdered jiggery – ½ cup
• Red chilli powder – ½ tea spoon
• Turmeric – ¼ tea spoon
• Salt – pinch
• For seasoning
  • Mustard – ½ tea spoon
  • Urad dal – ½ tea spoon
  • Red chilli – 2 no
  • Curry leaves – few
  • Asafetida – pinch
  • Oil – 2 tea spoon

Method

• Wash, cut bitter melon; remove seeds (tender seeds can be used); soak tamarind in 2 cups of water and extract juice.
• Heat a pan, do the seasoning; add bitter melon pieces and fry for 3 to 5 minutes or till soft; add turmeric, red chilli powder, salt and mix well.

• Add tamarind juice, bring to boil and keep cooking for 5 more minutes in low flame; add jaggery, cook for 2 more minutes.

• Pachadi is ready with tangy, sweet and bitter taste. Serve with hot rice or chappati.

Tips

Jaggery can be replaced with sugar.