Pavakkai uppucharu is a very tasty dish. I learnt this recipe from my mother-in-law. The combination of sweet, sour and bitter makes it an excellent side dish for all South Indian dishes.
What you need
Medium sized bitter gourd – 2
Lemon-sized ball of tamarind
Lemon-sized ball of jaggery
Split Pigeon pea (Toor dal) – 1 tsp
Black gram (Urad dal) – 1 tsp
Bengal gram (Channa dal) – 1 tsp
Red chillies - 3 or 4
Pepper corns - 8
Asafoetida – a pinch
Turmeric powder – a pinch
Curry leaves - a few
Mustard seeds – for seasoning
Oil – 2 tbsp
Salt – to taste
Cooking instructions
Wash and slice the bitter gourd. Add a little salt and turmeric powder. Keep aside for 30 minutes.
Soak the tamarind in hot water and extract juice.
Dry roast all three dals, red chillies, peppercorns, asafoetida and curry leaves.
Grind till fine.
Heat oil in a kadai. Add mustard seeds and a red chilli.
Add the bitter gourd and fry till done.
Add tamarind water to the bitter gourd and boil.
Add the ground powder, salt and jaggery and boil till the gravy turns thick.
Serve with upma, dosai, idli and rice.
