Bittergourd in Tamarind Gravy from Rekha Blog

Bitter gourd means only two thing to me bitter gourd fry or stuffed version. But when Rekha post her version of bitter gourd in tamarind gravy I knew I had to try that and which I did. The result was awesome, too good for me but unfortunately DH doesn't like much of tamarind :-(...But whatever this was super yummy. I did little alteration to the original recipe, Rekha boiled the bittergourd in buttermilk, I skip that step and went for shortcut method ;) Thanks Rekha for the wonderful recipe.

Serving - 2 persons

Ingredients: [Orignial Recipe click here]

Bitter gourd - 1 large [ sliced]
Onion - 1 large [ chopped]
Tomato - 1 small [ chopped]
Garlic - 1tsp [ chopped]
Tamarind Pulp - 1 tbs
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Redchilli Powder - 1tsp
Jaggery - 1/2 tsp [ grated/powder]
Mustard Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Cumin Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves - 4-5 leaves
Asafoetida - a pinch
Salt - to taste
Oil - 2 tbs
Coriander leaves - few [ chopped]
Water


Method:

1. Chop onion, tomato and garlic. Peel bitter gourd and slice them in circle. Sprinkle little of turmeric powder and salt over bitter gourd pieces and keep aside for 5 to 10mins

2. Heat oil in a pan, add Asafoetida, cumin and mustard seeds allow them to crack. Add onion, garlic and curry leaves, fry until onion turns light brown.

3. Add turmeric and chilli powder mix well, now bitter gourd and cook for 2 mins. Add chopped tomato, salt and cook for another 2mins with lid on in medium flame.

4. Once the tomato mashed, add tamarind pulp and cook in low flame for 10-12mins. Add water if required, I added little water.

5. Add jaggery and mix well. Adjust salt if required. Cook for 3-4 more mins. Garnish with Coriander leaves.

Enjoly hot with rice.

Beetroot & Cabbage - Cutlet, Soup, Parata And Kalonji/Stuffed Bittergourd Revised

It has been a pinky Sunday ;)....and again it rained heavy on Sunday afternoon....well SG it's like that we can't do anything about it..can we ;)...Now moving over to Beetroot and Cabbage special today....and everything goes to Priya's FIC - Pink/Rose event started by Harini

First up is Beetroot and Cabbage Cutlet



Ingredients:

Beetroot - 1 Cup (Grated)
Cabbage - 2 Cups (Grated)
Green chillies - 4-5 (Finely Chopped)
Coriander leaves - handful (Chopped)
Curry Leaves - few (chopped)
Corn flour - 3-4 tbs
Redchilli powder - 1 tbs
Salt - to taste
Oil - for pan fry

Method:

1. Grate cabbage, peeled beetroot. Finely chop chillies, coriander leaves and curry
leaves.

2. Mix well all ingredients (except oil).

3. Heat a pan/tawa, add 1tbs of oil

4. Take small portions of the mixture and form a shape of cutlet or any other shape

5. Place one by one in pan and cook until golden brown on both the sides on low flame(apply oil little as required).


We had it with tea as evening snack and it was perfect in raining evening :)




Next up is Beetroot & Cabbage Soup

Ingredients:

Beetroot - 1/4 cup
Cabbage - 2 cups
Bay leaf - 1
Cloves - 2
Pepper Corn - to taste
Salt - to taste
Olive Oil - 1tbs
Water - 3 cups

Method:

1. Chop Cabbage and beetroot in large chunks

2. In a cooker heat oil, add bay leaf, cloves and saute for a min

3. Add the beetroot chunks and saute for 2-3 mins. Add cabbage and saute for 2 mins.

4. Add salt, few pepper corns, and 1 cup of water and pressure cook for 10mins

5. Let the cooker release pressure, make puree of the veggies (discard the bay leaf)

6. Add this puree back to the cooker with some more (2cups) water (as thick you want), bring it to boil (add more salt and pepper if required)

Soup is ready..if you wish add some milk or fresh cream...I like mine just as it is.



Final is Beetroot & Cabbage Parata

When I saw Beets parata in Priya's space it was so eye catching...so I thought of making it, though mine is little difference from hers.



I used the beet and cabbage puree (same used in soup), ajawin, salt and wheat flour to make a dough and make parata & served it with Kalonji ..it was yummy..thanks Priya for the idea :)


Now moving away from pink parade....here is one more entry to Lakshmi's Meals on Wheels is Kalonji or Stuffed Bittergourd which I made again and as this stays well upto a week if store properly. For detail recipe click here



Enjoy.....

Saturday Lunch with Dal, Chawal and Kareli (Bittergourd) and Awards

I'm tend to prepare simple food for Saturdays lunch and that goes every week. Now a days resolution is to cook without using onion, green chilli and trying to cut down on garlic too [only for sat'day lunch ofcoz]


My sister loves khichidi for sat'day lunch and she will be so much happy with it :-)...but my DH prefers dal and chawal instead of khichidi so I'm doing that.


Last Saturday I prepared rice, dal with tempering of jeera, dry red chili and garlic and bitter gourd fry.

For Bitter gourd Fry/Stir Fry:


Ingredients:


Bitter ground - 4
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp
Oil - 2 tbsp
Dry Mango Powder /Amchur - 1/2 tsp [optional]
Salt - to taste


Method:


1. Wash and peel bitter gourd and cut in thin slices. 

2. Marinate with little salt and turmeric powder and leave it for 10-20mins. 
 If you wish you can squeeze out the water from bittergourd [I don't squeeze ]

3.  In a pan heat oil, add cumin seeds, add bitter gourd and fry on low flame until it turn black/brown in colour & become crisp.
If using amchur then add 2 minutes before turning off the flame.

Here is the platter with rice, dal, bittergourd fry, pickle and papad :-)





Now coming over to award...Dear JaiShreeji has share with me these lovely and awards...Thanks a lot ...am so glad to receive them ....


Also Swapna from Cooking with Swapna has share with me Great Buddy Award ..thanks Swapna for sharing this with me...now we are buddies ;)




Here sharing these awards with few of my friends, enjoy gals...


Aru from Gourmet Affair
Raji from Rak's Kitchen
Purva from Purva's Dawaat
Ramya from Ramya Cooks
Vani from Illatharasi
Lakshmi from Taste of Mysore
Priyanka from Asan Khana
Sukanya from Sukanya's Musings
Sowmya from Creative Saga
Anisheetu from My Kitchen

Kalonji or Stuffed Bittergourd

What a weekend, I'm so tired now! Shopping with my friends for 3days..and Kishore has tempted me so much with all the diamonds purchasing !! I really liked the Lee Hwa Jeweler’s diamond stud the most! Inbtw so much of shopping I have found time to make this lovely dish call Kalonji or stuffed Bitter gourd.
Lot of people makes stuffed Bitter gourd in different style, and I have made it with my mom's recipe (true UP Style). It's a long process but worth the effect.

Here goes the recipe:

Ingredients:
Bitter gourd/Karela - 1/2 kg
Potato - 1 large (optional)
Thread - To Tie
Oil - 5 tbsp

For Stuffing:
Bitter gourd seeds - 1/2 cup or can be reduced the quantity, add onion more in this case
Onion - 2 large
Green chilies - 6-7
Cumin seeds/Jeera - 1 tsp
Fenugreek //Methi seeds - 1/4 tsp
Onion seeds/Kalonji - 1 tsp
Fennel Seeds/Suanf - 1 tsp
Green Cardamom - 2
Black Cardamom - 1
Coriander seeds - 1 tsp
Amchur Powder 1 1/2 tsp or use raw mango - 2-3big slices
Ginger-garlic paste - 2 tsp
Coriander leaves chopped - 1/2 cup
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder - 2 tsp
Redchilli powder - 2 tsp
Water - 2 tsp (if required)


Method:
1. Wash & peel the Bitter gourd lightly, just to remove the rough skin.

2. Cut the bitter gourd from middle and remove the seeds/inner filling (try not to cut the edges)

3. Sprinkle salt and 1 tsp turmeric powder over the bitter gourd and marinate for 30 mins

4. After 30 mins squeeze the excess water from the bitter gourd and keep it aside.

5. Dry roast cumin, suanf, methi seeds, onion seeds, coriander seeds

6. Roast chopped onion in 1 tsp oil until golden brown.

7. Grind all the ingredients listed under 'For Stuffing' with bitter gourd seeds into a fine paste, add little water only if required.

8. Stuff the paste in bitter gourd, use thread to tie it around the bitter gourd. (This is to make sure the filling does not come out)

9. In a pan heat oil & place stuffed bitter gourd one by one, cover the pan with lid and let it cook in slow flame.

10. Keep turning the Bitter gourd every 3-4 mins for all sides to cook properly.

11. Peel potato and scoop it to fill the stuffing or just cut potato in large cubes, toss with the stuffing to marinate for 10-15 mins.

12. When the Bitter gourd is half cooked add the potato in the same pan and let it cook with bitter gourd.

13. Keep tossing the pan.

14. Cook until Bittergourd & potatoes skin turns black along with the stuffing.

15. Cook in slow flame and it will take 45 mins - 1hr+ to cook the dish.

16. Kalonji is ready to serve and it can be preserve for 2-3 days.

....