Kakarakaya Ulli Karam Kura(Bitter Gourd Onion Masala Curry) And A Thali

Today I am again here with one more thali from Andhra Pradesh. This is not a special thali but this thali includes some Andhra special dishes. Which normally we cook for our every day meal. Traditionally Andhra people like to start there meal with spice powder like Papula podi or Dhaniyala karam, Kobbari podi. They mix this spice powders with rice and a dash of ghee,This is known as Modatimudda(the first bite of the meal ). Then they continue the meal with Dal and dry curries (stir fried vegetables). And the meal continue with Rasam and curd, Pickle.
                                                     This is a every day menu but for festivals and special day 's the menu will be elaborate with sweets and snacks. Here in this thali we have Tomato Pappu (tomato dal) which is a very common dish in every day meal. This dal is very favorite to Andhra people.

In dry curries we have Dondakaya kobbarikaram kura and Kakarakaya Ullikaram Kura.
Normally we don't use Kakarakay for special occasions. This vegetable is cooked in every day meal only. Because it has a bitter taste, Bitter taste is not auspicious,but this vegetable has it's own medicinal values. So using bitter gourd in your meal for at least twice a week is good for your health..
Other then that we have
Tomato Rasam,
Usiri Avakaya (Gooseberry Pickle)
Kobbari jilakarapodi(coconut and cumin spice powder)
Perugu (curd)
Annam (rice)
Here is the recipe for Kakarakaya Ulli Karam Kura.
INGREDIENTS:---
Kakarakayalu (bitter gourd)  -- 4 medium size or 500gms
Butter milk  --- 1/2 cup
Turmeric powder  --- 14 tea sp
Salt to taste
For Masala:--
Onion  -- 1 big cut in to cubes
Garlic   -- 5 cloves
Dry coconut  --- 1 tab sp
Red chilli powder  --- 1 tea sp
For Tadka (talimpu:---
Oil  -- 1 tab sp
Mustard seeds --  1/2 tea sp
Split urad dal   --- 1 tea sp
Cumin seeds  --- !/2 tea sp
METHOD:----
1.Peel little outer skin of the bitter gourds and cut in to  1/2 inch pieces.
2. Take butter milk, turemeric powder and salt in a vessal mix well add bitter gourd pieces and soak for 10 minutes.
3. After 10 minutes squese and remove the bitter gourd pieces from butter milk mixture set a side.
This helps to remove the bitter taste alittle bit from bitter gourd.
4. Grind all masala ingredients in to a coarse paste, don't add water just run the blender for 2 seconds and remove, set a side.
5. Heat oil in a frying pan add mustard seeds let them popup then add split urad dal, cumin seeds, fry till they turn in to brown.
6. Now add bitter gourd pieces adjust salt cover and cook in a very low flame till the bitter gourd pieces are cooked stir in between .
7. Now add masala to the bitter gourd pieces give a good stir.
8. Fry for 5 more minutes in a low flame or till the nice aroma comes out.
Remove from heat and serve with rice and dal. This goes very well with Phulkas too.
This is my fourth  Thali for Blogging Marathon 16 th edition in the theme of Indian thali and lets check the Marathon page.
And this is my entry for Srivallis Thali Mela