Bitter Gourd Pitlai

Ingredients:

Bitter gourd                 -  200 gms

Bengal gram dal           -  2 table spoons

Thoor dal                    -  2 table spoons

Tamarind                    -  1 small lemon sized

Turmeric powder        -  1 tea spoon

Asafoitida                   -  1 pinch

Jaggary                      - 1/2 tea spoon

Salt to taste

for garnishing:

Mustard seeds            -  1 table spoon

black gram dal            -  1 table spoon

curry leaves                -  2 arcs

The below mentioned ingredients should be shallow fried in oil.

coriander seeds           -  1 table spoon

bengal gram dal           -  1 table spoon

black gram dal             -  1 table spoon

Pepper                        -  1 tea spoon

Red chillies                  -  2 nos

After cooling add  1 tea spoon of jeera and 2 table spoons of grated coconut and grind it to a paste.

1.  Cook bengal gram dal and thoor dal together and mash it.

2.  Soak the tamarind in warm water and squeeze to remove a thick juice.

3.  Cut bitter gourd into small pieces.

4.  Take the diced bitter gourd in a thick bottomed vessel.

5.  Add a cup of water and boil it with salt(remember the salt is only for the bitter gourd) and turmeric powder.

6.  Once bitter gourd cooked add the tamarind juice.

7.  Let it boil till the tamarind smell goes off.

8.  Now add the cooked dals and ground paste.

9.  Also add salt turmeric powder and asafoitida powder.

10.Let the mixture boil and blend well.

11.Keep stirring occasionally.
12.Remove from stove and garnish.
13.Pitlai ready.