Pavakka gujju

Pavakka refers to bitter gourd. This magic vegetable is used for managing blood sugar, cholesterol and helping in weight loss. In this dish, the bitterness of the gourd is balanced out by adding tamarind juice, jaggery and salt.

The kolambi flower or the golden trumpet vine welcomes you as you enter our home. It is climbing upwards along our java apple tree, so that from our balcony we can see yellow blooms peeking in between all the green leaves. The flower has five petals and resemble a trumpet or gramaphone. 

To prepare, you need

Bitter gourd - 1 large size

Green chili - 1

Salt

Vegetable oil - 3 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp

Bengal gram - 1/4 tsp

Curry leaves - a few

Red chili - 1, chopped roughly

Chili powder - 1 tsp

Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp

Tamarind juice - 1 Tbsp

Rice powder - 1/2 tsp

Water - 1/2 glass

Jaggery powder - 1 tsp

Wash bitter gourd and remove the seeds. Cut it into round pieces. Add salt and a slit chili. Microwave for 3 minutes.

Heat a saucepan and add 2 tsps of oil. Fry bittergourd for 15 minutes on slow flame or until soft. Keep aside.

In a kadai or deep cooking pot, add a tsp of oil. Add mustard seeds, bengal gram, curry leaves and red chili. Fry for a minute.

Add chili powder and coriander powder, and fry the masalas for a few minutes. Add tamarind juice, rice powder, salt and water.

Add the cooked bitter gourd and let it boil. Then cook for another 5 more minutes on slow flame. Add jaggery and stir.

Serve warm with chapati.

Recipe from Mom.