PAVAKAI CURRY

PAVAKAI IS RARELY COOKED IN OUR HOUSES.
CHILDREN NEVER LIKE TO HAVE THIS. EVEN ELDERS
TAKE IT FOR MEDICINAL PURPOSE.FOR TASTE SAKE
WHEN IT IS USED-IT GIVES ITS
UNIQUE SMELL AND TASTE IN RECIPES LIKE PITLAI.
THIS VEGETABLE IS AVOIDED ON AUSPICIOUS DAYS,
MAY BE FOR THE REASON IT HAS THE BITTERNESS.
THOUGH BITTERNESS IS GOOD FOR HEALTH THIS VEGETABLE
REQUIRES SOME PRE-COOKING STEPS TO BE FOLLOWED EVEN BEFORE
IT IS CUT. USUALLY THE POINTED PORTION IS SCRAPED OFF.
IT IS CUT AND MIXED WITH SALT AND LEFT FOR SOMETIME TO
REMOVE THE BITTER JUICE OUT OF IT. NORMALLY THE VEGETABLE
IS PAR BOILED BEFORE MAKING IT AS A CURRY OR IN GRAVY FORM.
EVEN WHILE PAR BOILING TAMARIND IS USED ALONG WITH SALT AND
HALDI.THE BITTERNESS IS NOT FULLY LOST EVEN AFTER FOLLOWING THE
STEPS. BUT WHEN FRIED AND MADE AS CURRY WITH OTHER INGREDIENTS
IT TASTES GOOD. ONE SUCH RECIPE IS GIVEN BELOW. IT IS DONE IN
ANDHRA PRADESH IN ANDHRA REGION.


INGREDIENTS

BITTER GOURD/
PAVAKAI 500GMS

GRAM FLOUR/
BESAN 2 TBLS

JEERA 2 TSP

CHILLI POWDER 2 TSP

SALT

HALDI 1/2 TSP

LG 1/4 TSP

OIL 2 TBLS


CUT PAVAKAI EITHER LIKE RINGS OR THIN LONG PIECES. ADD
2 TSP SALT MIX WELL AND KEEP ASIDE FOR MINIMUM 1/2 HR.
SQUEEZE AND RINSE IT WELL UNDER RUNNING WATER AND DISCARD THE
SEEDS IF ANY, DRAIN AND KEEP ASIDE.

HEAT OIL IN KADAI PREFERABLY HEAVY BASED ONE, ADD PAVAKAI SAUTE
AND COOK ON MEDIUM FIRE. STIR OCCASIONALLY TILL ALL THE PIECES
TURN LIGHT BROWN AND EVENLY FRIED.

MAKE POWDER OF JEERA. DRY FRY BESAN IN HOT KADAI ON LOW FIRE
TAKING CARE NOT TO BURN THE FLOUR. REMOVE AND MIX WITH CHILLI
POWDER, JEERA POWDER AND LG. ADD THIS POWDER TO COOKED PAVAKAI
IN KADAI AND SAUTE. KEEP STIRING FOR A WHILE AND ADD LITTLE
SALT JUST REQUIRED FOR THE POWDER- MIX AND REMOVE.
THIS CAN BE HAD WITH ROTI, AND HOT RICE WITH GHEE ALONG WITH RAW ONION
PIECES. MANY OF THE FRIED CURRIES CALLED "VEPUDU" IN ANDHRA STYLE
ARE HAD WITH RAW ONION PIECES WHEN MIXING WITH RICE-SPECIALLY
WITH GONGURA PACHADI SAADAM.