KAAKARAKAYA PULUSU (BITTER GOURD IN TAMARIND GRAVY)

Bitter gourd ---- 2 no.

Butter milk ---- 1/2 cup

Onion ---- 1 big very finely chopped

Tamarind pulp ---- 1 tab sp dissolve in 1 cup of water (or 5gms of tamarind(small gooseberry size) soak in hot water and extract juice with 1 cup of water)

Turmeric powder ---- 1/4 tea sp

Red chilli powder --- 1 tea sp

Grated jaggery --- 1 tab sp

Tomato --- 1 medium chopped

Oil ---- 1 tab sp

Mustard seeds --- 1/2 tea sp

Cumin seeds --- 1 tea sp

Urad dal ---- 1 tea sp

Chana dal ---- 1 tea sp

Asafoetida --- 1/4 tea sp

Salt to taste

METHOD:-----

1. peel outer skin lightly and Cut bitter gourd in to 1 inch round pieces and boil them with little turmeric and butter milk till butter milk evaporates (This helps to remove the bitter taste from the gourd lightly). Remove from the heat and leave a side.

2. Now heat oil in a sauce pan add mustard seeds and let them popup then add urad dal, chana dal, cumin seeds and asafoetida then curry leaves let them fry till dals become light red color and add chopped onion and garlic, curry leaves and fry till onion become soft and light pink color.

3. then add chopped tomato and cook till tomato become soft and add turmeric powder,redchilli powdermix well and add cooked bitter gourd pieces and then tamarind juice and cook till gravy becomes thick (this will take 15 min. in a very low flame cook in a low flame only).

4. Now add grated jaggery mix well and let it cook for few more min.

Remove from heat and serve with hot rice

This pulusu taste better next day with left over rice or pongali

enjoy your meal.