Pavakkai Gojju, Bitter Gourd (Karela) Curry

          Bitter Gourd, not a very favorite vegetable for most of us, some of us just can't eat it at all, but in my house, we like it, and this Pavakkai/Karela Gojju is a favorite. This is a simple recipe, the vegetable is sauteed really well and this removes the bitterness ( at least most of it ) and we also add jaggery which makes this curry really tasty. This goes very well as part of a South Indian meal, with rice and sambar, as a side dish for rotis, tastes great when mixed with some white rice or as a side for some curd rice..

Need To Have

• Pavakkai/Bitter Gourd/Karela - 2 cups
• Urad Dal/Husked Black Gram - 2 teaspoons
• Mustard Seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
• Asafoetida - 1/4 teaspoon
• Turmeric Powder - 1/4 teaspoon
• Sambar Powder - 3 teaspoons
• Jaggery - about 2 tablespoons
• Tamarind Pulp - 1 teaspoon
• Salt to taste

Method

          Scrape slightly the rough skin of the bitter gourd, slice it into two, remove the seeds and chop it. Heat some oil, add the mustard seeds, when it starts sputtering, add the urad dal and asafoetida and saute for a minute till the urad dal turns golden. Then add the chopped bitter gourd and saute for a minute. Then add the turmeric powder and sambar powder.

          Add salt and about 1/2 cup of water, cover and cook till the pavakkai is cooked and soft and there is no more water. Now remove the lid, add the jaggery and tamarind, mix, if needed add some more oil and keep sauteing for another 10 minutes and then remove.

Try out these other dishes with Pavakkai/Bitter Gourd/Karela..

Potato And Bitter Gourd Stir Fry
Midhi Pavakkai Fry, Baby Bitter Gourd Fry
Potato Stuffed Bitter Gourd/Karela
Bitter Gourd Pitlai/Sambar
Bitter Gourd Fry With Tomatoes

Note
The vegetable should be cooked well before you add the jaggery and saute.
This can be made stored in the refrigerator for at least a week or more