Pitlai

Well, Pitlai is a favourite of my daughters. It is made of bitter gourd with tamarind pulp,dal and lots of spices. Tastes best when served hot with rice and papad.

 

Pitlai - video

Ingredients: (serves 3-4)

Tamarind : gooseberry(amla) size

Tuwar dal (Tuwaram paruppu) – 1/4th cup

Chana  dal (kadala paruppu) – 1/8th cup
Black chana : 1/8th cup (note: if black chana is not available, you can also use lima bean seeds or black eyed peas)

Bitter gourd/ Karela – 200g to 250g

Turmeric : ½ tsp

Mustard/Rai/kadugu – ½ tsp

Green Chilli – 2 No.s

Seasame/gingely Oil (or any cooking oil) – 3 tbsp

Salt – 1.5 to 2 tsp (as per taste)

Asafoetida – 1/4 tsp

Rasam powder – 1 tsp
Tomato : 1 medium
Curry leaves : 10-15 leaves
fresh coriander leaves : few (optional)


For spice mixture:
Seasame/gingely Oil (or any cooking oil) – 1 tsp
Red Chillies – 4 No.s

Urad dal (Ulutham paruppu) – 2 tsp
chana dal : 1 tsp

Dhaniya seeds – 2 tsp

Black pepper (molagu) – 3/4th tsp

Fresh Grated coconut – 3 tbsp

Jeera – ¾ tsp

Method:

1. Cut the karela in round shapes. (if karela is not tender and has seeds, remove the seeds. Just press with your thumb finger and seeds will come out.)

2. Soak tamarind in hot water so that it’s easier to extract the pulp. Squueze and prepare  2 tumbler tamarind juice approximately (1 tumbler =~ 200ml).

3.Pressure cook the tuwar dal and chana dal. (Add pinch of turmeric to dal before cooking.) Also pressure cook Black chana alongwith it but in a separate container.
(Note:  Soak the black chana for 4 hours and then pressure cook it. Else if you do not have time or if you forgot to soak it, saute it dry for few minutes and pressure cook it for 2-3 extra cooker whistles
4. Take a small pan, add little oil (1 tsp) ,urad dal, red chillies , dhaniya seeds, chana dal(1 tsp), pepper/molagu  and saute it on medium flame till dal turns golden brown. Switch off flame and add jeera immediately and mix well. Allow the mixture to cool.Then add fresh grated coconut and grind it coarsely.

5.Heat a pan/thick bottom vessel. Pour tamarind juice in it, add the karela, green chillies, chopped tomato.

6.Then add salt, turmeric, asafoetida, rasam powder. Let it boil on medium flame for around 15 min.

7. Now check if the karela got cooked (if not let it boil for few more minutes). Add the cooked tuwar+chana dal mixture(you can add the excess dal water if any) and add black chana(after draining the excess water since black chana water will spoil the colour & taste of the gravy). Let it boil for 3-4 min.
(Note: tuwar/chana dal is generally mashed and then added to any gravy like sambhar,rasam. But for pitlai, you need not mash the dal, simply add it.)

9. Then add the coarsely ground spice mixture, mix well and let it boil for 8-10 min. Then switch off the flame.

10. Heat little oil(for tempering) in a tadka pan, add mustard seeds, let it crackle, add curry leaves. Add it to the gravy. Garnish with some chopped coriander leaves if you like.

Note:
Salt, Red chillies, Green chillies, asafoetida quantity can be adjusted as per taste

If needed, add jaggery(tamarind seed size) for enhanced taste.

Yummmyyyy Pitlai is ready!!!!!