Pagarkai Pitlai

As anybody else, I don't like eating pagarkai, for its bitter taste. But my mom make all possible steps to make me eat it. Here is one of her step - Pitlai - a traditional South Indian dish.

Pagarkai / bitter gourd is very good for health. For preparing this pitlai, we must plan and work, so that we can bring out its delicious taste perfectly.

Ingredients

Pagarkai / Bitter gourd – ¼ kg

Channa Dhall – 1 cup
Thoor Dhall – 1 ½ cups
Tamarind – 1 big lemon size
Bengal gram dhall – 2 tsp
Dhaniya / Coriander seeds – 1 ½ tsp
Red chilli – 7
Raw Rice – ½ tsp
Curry leaves – 5 strands
Coconut (grated) – 1 ½ cups
Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
Mustard Seeds – 1 tsp
Cooking oil – 1 tsp
Coconut oil – 3 tsp
Salt – as needed

Method

Soak Channa dhall for 6 to 7 hours. We have to soak it overnight if we are planning to do this for next morning.

Soak tamarind in little water for 20 minutes and take tamarind extract and keep aside. We need little extra tamarind than sambar.

Pressure cook Channa dhall and thoor dhall separately. Channa dhall must be soft.

Mash the thoor dhall and keep aside.

Cut Pagarkai in round shape and marinate with little salt and turmeric powder.

Roast coconut in coconut oil and keep aside. We must use half of the roasted coconut for grinding and half for garnishing.

Roast Bengal gram dhall, dhaniya, red chillies, raw rice, curry leaves with very little cooking oil till golden brown. Grind this to a fine paste with half the roasted coconut and keep aside.

In a deep thick bottomed pan, heat cooking oil. Fry the cut pagarkhai for few minutes. Add tamarind extract, salt and bring to boil. When it boils, keep the stove in low flame. Cook till the raw smell of the tamarind goes. Also the pagarkai must be soft.

Now add cooked channa dhall and continue cooking. Then add the ground paste and add little water if needed. When it come to boil, add mashed thoor dhall and continue cooking.
Pitlai comes to continuous boiling and it will be thicker now.

Now add the remaining roasted coconut. Season with Mustard seeds. Add fresh curry leaves.

Serve hot.

Have a nice day and healthy days ahead.