Bittergourd (Pavakkai) Kootu

Bitter melon, also known as bitter gourd or bitter squash is a nutritious vegetable differing in shape, size and color. The vegetable is known for its strong bitter taste. My kids do not eat this because of its bitter taste, so I tried this recipe and my kids enjoyed it. This is a very simple basic recipe for kootu by adding bitter gourd and toor dal with mild seasoning,topped with grated coconuts.Lets try serving our family with this healthy recipe.

Prep  time	Cooking time	Serves
15 mins	20 mins	4persons

Recipe type:  Kootu varieties

Cuisine:South Indian Cuisine

Ingredients Bitter gourd  -1 large Toor dal -3/4 cup Channa dal -1/4 cup Grated jaggery -1 tbsp Turmeric powder  -1/2 tsp Freshly grated coconut -2 tbsp Seasonings Mustard seeds -1 tsp Urad dal -1 tsp Dried red chillie -2 nos Green chilli -1 no Hing -1/2 tsp Curry leaves –few Oil –to temper Green chillies -3 no’s Cilantro –few sprigs

 

Method

1.Soak the tamarind in 1/2 cup of water for 30 minutes and get the juice.Soak split bengal gram and split pigeon pea for an hour. Drain water.Pressure cook bitter gourd along with toor dal,channa dal and turmeric powder until soft and mushy.(3-4 whistles).Once the pressure is released,add salt and simmer for 5 minutes.

2. Heat some oil in a kadai and temper from mustard seeds through curry leaves.Add to the boiling bitter gourd along with the oil.Simmer for 5 more minutes. 

3.Now add the coconut paste and bring to boil until the raw smell is gone. Remove from heat then add asafoetida powder and coriander leaf mix well and serve.

Notes

Wash, de-seed and cut gourd into slices. Sprinkle some salt, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, set aside for about half an hour. Now squeeze slices, wash 1-2 times in fresh water.

Kadamba (Mixed Vegetable) Sambar

Kadamba Sadham is a famous recipe among iyengars.. You can also use vegetables like Beans, tomato to include in the vegetable list.Mixed vegetable sambar or Kadamba Sambar is a South Indian dish which can be served with rice and papad or stir fries (poriyal). Kadambam means “mixed”. Since it has mixed vegetables in this dish it is known as “Kadamba Sambar”. I have used freshly ground spices in this dish which is more flavorful and delicious.

Prep  time	Cook time	Serves
15 mins	30 mins	4  persons

Recipe type:  Kulambu varieties

Cuisine:  South Indian cuisine

Ingredients Vegetables  (Avarakkai,white pumpkin,radish,vazhakai,pachai mochai,yam,beans,carrot) -1 ½ cup Onions -2 no’s Toor dal -1/2 cup Tamarind extract –lemon size Turmeric powder -1/4 tsp Green chilly -2 no’s Seasonings Oil -1/2 tbsp. Mustard seeds -1 tsp Dried chilies -2 no’s Curry leaves –few Hing –pinch Instant sambar powder  or use your sambar powder Toor dal – 2 tsp Coriander seeds -1 tsp Methi seeds -pinch Urad dal-1/2 tsp Red chillies -3 no’s Bengal gram -1 tsp Grated coconut -1 ½  tbsp.

Method

1. Extract Tamarind essence from warm water. Cook Toor dal with water and a pinch of turmeric powder in a cooker.Heat a pan with a teaspoon of oil, add coriander seeds, channa dal, dried chilies, fenugreek seeds, urad dal and fry it until lentils becomes golden brown colour.  Set it aside and add the shredded coconut to the pan and fry it until there is no moisture. Let it cool. Allow this roasted mix to cool and grind them in a mixer in the form of a paste by adding grated coconut, little water and asafetida. Grind the fried ingredients along with the shallots (small onions) to a paste adding a little water. 

2.In the kadai (you can reuse the same kadai), add 4 tsp oil, season mustard and asafetida and once they splutter, add the green chillies and the vegetables and slightly roast them. Now add water and salt and a pinch of turmeric powder. 

3. Cover the kadai with a lid and allow it to steam for some time till it is half cooked. Now add tamarind water and allow it to boil for some more time. Allow to boil until the raw smell of tamarind and sambar powder is gone.

    

4. When the vegetables are 3/4^th cooked, add the grinded paste, cooked & mashed toor dal and curry leaves – few. Allow it on stove for 5 mins and switch off.Finally add the asafetida powder and turn off the stove. Add curry leaves and coriander leaves. Sambar is ready to serve.

Serving suggestions

Hot Rice with gingelly oil

Notes

Now add the Kadamba sambar and mix it well with rice such that there are no lumps.