pavakkai

[mysur]

could anyone pls post the reciepe using pavakkai
Thanks well in advance

[Vidya Pai]

What is 'pavakkai' called in english?

[bhargavi.raj]

Pavakkai is called Bittergourd in English.

[pr]

its bitter gourd

[Kz]

Here is a recipe for pavakkai chips:
Cut the pavakkai into thin slices. then soak them in buttermilk. as this helps in removing the bitter taste. then after it is soaked for a while, take them out and add chilli powder,turmeric powder and salt and mix well and let it marinate for 10 minutes. then deep fry them in medium to low flame until it is golden brown and crispy. then drain them on a tissue paper and store them in airtight container. u can keep it for a week.
Kz

[truebluemoon]

Here's a very tasty, but lengthy recipe for stuffed Paavakka(Karela). People from North Karnataka are known to stuff every given veggie on the planet . I learnt this from a native woman and have made it several times.

STUFFED KARELAS:

4-5 pavakka (make sure the pavakkas are as small as you can get)
1/2 cup crushed tomatoes;
2 medium sized onion-1 cubed and the other chopped fine;
tofu or paneer - 4-5 cubes;
3-4 green chillies;
cilantro or coriander leaves - half a fist;(the more the better)
1/2 inch ginger piece; (you can use paste of not available)
3 garlic cloves;
1/4 tsp nutmeg powder;
1 tsp chilli powder;
1 tsp dhania powder;
salt to taste;
oil to fry;

METHOD:

Scrape the skin off the pavakkas. Make a slit in lengthwise without splitting the pavakka into two. Scoop out the seeds if any. Sprinkle some salt and set the pavakkas aside for 45 mins in a bowl.If possible, set this aside in sunlight or keep it in a warm oven. Wash and dry the pavakkas and cut them into about 2 inch long pieces.
Heat 2-3 tbsp oil and fry the cubed onion with ginger, garlic, green chillies and tofu/paneer with salt. Cook for abt 7-10 mins. Cool this mixture. Blend the mixture into a rough paste and stuff it into the pavakkas.
Shallow fry the stuffed pavakkas and set aside.
Now saute the other onion in a little oil and add tomatoes, the nutmeg powder,chilli powder and dhania powder. Add salt to taste. Stir occasionaly and when the gravy leaves the sides of the pan, gently add the pavakka pieces into the pan and cook for abt 10 mins. Garnish with coriander leaves.
Serve hot with rotis.

[truebluemoon]

I am a sucker for gojju and when I was a child I would wait for thithi saapad at home so my mom would make gojju

The recipe is very simple and very tangy and unique!

Ingredients:

5-6 pavakka - medium sized
tamarind - coin sized or 1.5 tsp of concentrate diluted in 1/2 cup water
1/2 cup jaggery crushed
a pinch of hing
1.5 teaspoon chilli powder
3 tbsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds.
salt to taste



Method:

Cut the pavakka into little pieces after removing the seeds. Sprinkle salt and set aside for 45 mins. Rinse and dry. Heat oil. Add mustard seeds and pavakka. Cook until the color of the vegetable changes. Add the tamarind water and chilli powder with hing and cook. Add another 1/2 cup of water with a little salt.wait for the gravy to thicken . Now add the jaggery . Mix well. Cook on low heat till the jaggery mixes and serve with rice. Gojju is best served cold in my opinion.

[lavsensuba]

Here is my mom-in-law's recipe for Pavakai peratal. It is very tasty and very easy to make and can be eaten as both main dish as well as side dish.

Pavakai or Karela- 5
Coconut Shredded - 5 tbsp. (If you want less use about 3 tbsp.)
Small Onion (can use pearl onion)- 7
Tomato- 1 medium (optional)
Khus Khus- 1-1/2 tbsp.
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp.
Chilly Powder- 1 tsp. (use according to how hot you want the peratal to be)
Sambar powder- 1-1/2 tbsp.
Tamarind- 1 small lemon size
Mustard- 1/2 tsp. for tampering
Curry leaves- 6-10
Salt as per taste
Oil 3 tbsp. (Health Conscious can use around 1-1/2 tbsp.)


Soak the Tamarind in 1/2 cup warm water.

Wash and Cut pavakai into small pieces removing all seeds. Add salt to the pavakai and let it sit for 1/2 hr. Cut small onions and tomato to small pieces.

Grind Coconut, Khu Khus and Tamarind in mixer to a smooth paste. Remove the paste from the mixture and add the masala powders and salt to the ground mixture. Make sure you do not add too much salt as pavakai already has some salt in it. Rinse the mixture with 1 cup of water and reserve the liquid.

Heat 1 tbsp. oil in kadai. Squeeze water out of the Pavakai and add it to the hot oil. Fry the pavakai till it becomes half done. Remove it from the kadai.

Add 2-tbsp. oil to the same kadai. Using sesame oil will enhance the taste. Add mustard to the oil. Once it stops spluttering add curry leaves. Add onions and keep stirring till the onion becomes soft and starts changing colour. Add tomato and stir for 2 min. Add the ground mixture and the reserved liquid from the mixture.

Once the masala starts boiling add the pavakai and stir the mixture once. Put a lid and let the pavakai cook. Keep cooking till pavakai is well done and the mixture has a semi solid consistency.

This can be used as a side dish or as a main dish to go with plain white rice. Hope you enjoy it!