5/21/11

PAVAKKAI THOKKU(BITTER GOURD PICKLE)


hmm...what to say about this...I have heard about Garlic and vegetable pickle but never Bitter gourd thokku or pickle.
But Navaneetham Aunty(actually my chinna pati but Don't know why I call her aunty :D.. may be her enthusiasm, her love for learning things all make me feel she is very young ...anyways...)
when talking over the phone the other day she was telling about one of our relatives cooking .She mentioned about this Bitter gourd thokku/ pickle.I was ... ah... what??? Bitter gourd??!!Then she told me very roughly how it was. So I decided to try .Result was surprisingly wow!!!My DH couldn't find out what it was made of till I told him.Even i couldn't believe i used bitter gourd in that...But...as usual I did very little using just 2 medium sized bitter gourd.
Ok..0k... let me come directly to the recipe without much of my stories.

INGREDIENTS:(approximate measurement)
Bitter gourd-2 medium size(depends on bitterness)
Tamarind-small lemon size(depends on the sourness)
Jaggery-Small lemon size(depends on the sweetness)
Salt- to taste.
Gingelly oil- approximately 1 big laddle.
Asefotida-little
Fenugreek and Mustard powder-1/4 or 1/2 tsp(Dry fry and powder it)
Chilli powder-1tbs(depending on taste)
METHOD:
1)Wash and slice bitter gourd to thin pieces(Remove the seeds).Add about 1/4 tsp of salt and mix .keep for 1/2 hour
and Squeeze out the water from the bitter gourd.
2)Heat about a tbs of oil in a pan and fry bitter gourd till soft(close and cook )
3)When cool grind this to coarse paste.
4) Meanwhile soak tamarind and extract pulp. soak Jaggery in water and strain the dirt.
5)Heat oil in a pan and season with mustard and asefotida, and add the Tamarind and jaggery water .Add salt and chilli powder and let is boil.
6)Now add bitter gourd paste along with the powdered mustard and fenugreek .Cook till oil oozes out.
7) When cool store it in air tight container.

Note: I was told that it stays for long time in fridge. But since I made very little it just vanished in two days.so don't know how long we can keep this.

2 comments:

  1. Begin a Vegertian I have tried all types of kakarakaya recipes but for the first time. I came to know about Bitter gourd pickle. Thank you for showing the Kakarakaya pickle recipe. will try this weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks Sanjana .sorry for late reply.

    ReplyDelete

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