Bitter Gourd Masala

Ingredients

• 3 Medium sized bitter gourd
• One onion
• One tomato
• A lemon sized tamarind
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/2 teaspoon asafoetida
• Few curry leaves
• Few coriander leaves
• Salt as required
• One teaspoon cooking oil
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard

For dry roast

• One teaspoon daniya
• 1/2 tsp channa dal
• 1/2 tsp urad dal
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 3or 4 red chillies
• 1/2 tsp sesame seeds
• 1/2 tsp ground nut
• 2 tsp grated coconut

Method

1. Chop onion in to small pieces.
2. Chop tomato into small pieces.
3. Chop bitter gourd into small pieces by removing the seeds.
4. Soak the bitter gourd pieces in water with little salt and turmeric powder for 15 minutes to remove the bitter taste.
5. Remove the bitter gourd pieces from the water and keep it aside.
6. In a frying pan fry daniya, channa dal,urad dal, pepper, sesame seeds, ground nut and red chillies without oil.
7. Fry coconut with little oil.
8. Grind the fried items along with coconut in the mixer and keep it in powder form.
9. In a kadai put one tsp oil.
10. Add mustard and one red chilly and let it splutter.
11. Add onion and curry leaves and fry till it becomes soft.
12. Add tomatoes and the chopped bitter gourd.
13. Add turmeric powder, asafoetida and salt.
14. Add enough water and cook till the bitter gourd becomes soft.
15. Add tamarind extract and boil till the raw smell of tamarind disappears.
16. Add the ground powder and boil for 5 minutes.
17. Add little water if it is thick.
18. Garnish with coriander leaves.