Bittergourd theeyal

Theeyal is a Keralite speciality. We prepare ulli theeyal (using shallots), vazhuthananga theeyal (using brinjal) and pavakka theeyal (using bitter gourd) in our home. It is dark brown in color, owing to the addition of roasted coconut and tamarind juice. We combine it with red rice, chappati and kappa (tapioca).

The contents of Mom's delicacy..

Bitter gourd (pavakka) - 2

Green chili - 2

Salt - 1/4 tsp

Water

Coconut, grated - 1/2 cup

Red chili powder - 1 tsp

Coriander seeds - 2 tsp

Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp

Shallots (sambaar ulli) - 3 or 4

Tamarind juice - 2 Tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp

Curry leaf - a sprig

Red chili - 1

Vegetable oil - 2 tsp

The method...

Slit bitter gourd into two halves by cutting along its length. Scoop out the seeds and discard them. Now cut bitter gourd into 1 inch slices by chopping widthwise. Slit green chilies. Marinate the bitter gourd with salt. Throw in the green chilies, add water and bring to boil. Keep the cooked vegetable aside for later use.

In a shallow frying pan, throw in grated coconut, red chili powder and coriander seeds. Roast till it turns golden brown. Allow to cool. Grind to a powder. To this, add cumin seeds and shallots. Grind very finely. 

Add the ground masala and tamarind juice to the softened bitter gourd. Simmer for 5 minutes or until it starts boiling. Taste and throw in the required amount of salt. Stir.

To prepare the tempering, add oil in a frying pan. When it heats up, throw in mustard seeds. As it sputters, add in curry leaves and red chili. Fry for a minute. Add the seasoning to the bitter gourd mélange. Stir to bring everything together. Savour the coconut rich sapid theeyal with rice.