This Bitter Gourd Curry Recipe / Pavakkai Masala Recipe is a much needed side dish, after all the Christmas cakes and sweets. Most of us, don’t have a liking for this veggie due to it’s bitter taste in the name itself. But it has numerous health benefits like curing respiratory problems, builds immune system, reduce blood sugar level, helps to get rid of worms in the stomach etc. I have shared few tips to get rid of the bitter taste, so read the recipe till the end….
Checkout my other Side dish / Fry recipes for rice
1. Aloo Gobi Fry
2. Cabbage Curry
3. Potato Pepper Fry
4. Arbi Fry
5. Potato Fry
Pavakkai Masala Recipe
Bitter Gourd Curry Recipe | Pavakkai Masala Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/4 Kg Bitter Gourd / Karela
- 1 Small Tamarind Gooseberry sized
- 1 Large Onion
- 1 Tomato
- 1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
- 2 tsp Chilli Powder
- 1 tsp Sambar Powder Link for sambar powder
- Salt As Required
- 1 tbsp Coriander Leaves
To Temper
- 1 tbsp Oil
- 1 tsp Fennel Seeds
- 1" Piece Cinnamon
- 1 Sprig Curry Leaves
Instructions
- Wash bitter gourd well, slice it thinly and remove the seeds. Chop onion lengthwise and tomato roughly. Soak tamarind in hot water for 15 minutes. Squeeze the pulp well, extract tamarind water and discard the pulp. Measure and keep all the other ingredients ready.
- Roll boil water in a pan / kadai and pour tamarind water. Now add chopped bitter gourd and boil for 3 to 4 minutes in medium flame. Also don't boil the veggie for more time, else it turns mushy (par - boiled only). Drain the water and squeeze the veggie gently, this step helps to reduce the bitterness.
- Heat oil in a pan, then add fennel seeds and cinnamon. Once nice smell wafts, add curry leaves and onion.
- Then add tomato and saute till the raw smell leaves and tomato turns mushy. Now add parboiled bitter gourd.
- Sprinkle turmeric powder, chilli powder, sambar powder and required salt. Mix everything well and cook covered for 5 minutes till the spice powders and the veggie blends together. Garnish with coriander leaves.Serve this bitter gourd curry recipe with Palakura Pappu Recipe.
1. Wash bitter gourd well, slice it thinly and remove the seeds. Chop onion lengthwise and tomato roughly. Soak tamarind in hot water for 15 minutes. Squeeze the pulp well, extract tamarind water and discard the pulp. Measure and keep all the other ingredients ready.
2. Roll boil water in a pan / kadai and pour tamarind water. Now add chopped bitter gourd and boil for 3 to 4 minutes in medium flame. Also don’t boil the veggie for more time, else it turns mushy (par – boiled only). Drain the water and squeeze the veggie gently, this step helps to reduce the bitterness.
3. Heat oil in a pan, then add fennel seeds and cinnamon. Once nice smell wafts, add curry leaves and onion.
4. Then add tomato and saute till the raw smell leaves and tomato turns mushy. Now add parboiled bitter gourd.
5. Sprinkle turmeric powder, chilli powder, sambar powder and required salt. Mix everything well and cook covered for 5 minutes till the spice powders and the veggie blends together. Garnish with coriander leaves.
Serve this bitter gourd curry recipe with Palakura Pappu Recipe.
Pavakkai Masala Recipe
Tips for Bitter Gourd Curry Recipe
1. Don’t use bitter gourd with yellow spots on the skin, it wont tastes good.
2. Slice the veggie thin, so it gets coated with the spice powder well.
3. Remove the seeds thoroughly, as the seeds would have more bitterness.
4. Addition of tamarind water, when boiling the veggie, helps to reduce the bitter level.
5. Tamarind juice can be replaced with 1/2 tsp of tamarind paste.
6. Don’t overcook the veggie and make it mushy, it should be half cooked only.
7. Also drain the water and squeeze it completely from the veggie, so bitterness reduces.
8. Adjust chilli powder as per spice level required for this bitter gourd curry recipe.
9. If preferred, 1 tbsp of grinded coconut paste can be added to the pavakkai masala recipe at last.
10.Instead of half – cooking the veggie, it can be soaked in sour curd/butter milk for 20 minutes, drained and then used. This simple technique helps to reduce bitterness.
11. To avoid bitterness, the veggie can be marinade with salt / lemon juice for 20 minutes, washed and then used.
Bitter Gourd Curry Recipe
Welcome to my blog www.asmallbite.com. Thanks for reading my blog! I hope you’re enjoying my recipes to make the taste forever. I am Priya Santhamohan, writer and photographer (with hubby’s help) of this blog. 
Thanks Guys, Your Recipe Was Too Fantastic. Me and My Family Loved it. I Will definitely Share your Rrecipe with my friends.