Stuffed Bitter Gourd

Okay! This curry is not so complicated as it looks :) I myself was shunning it for quite a while because of all the work involved and then I thought, why not do it and tried it. The curry came out so well that I now look forward to doing it again!  Guys you too should do it you know :)

Ingredients:

Medium sized Bitter gourd - 8

1 big onion - diced finely

Curry leaves - 10

Red chilli powder - 2 tbsp (or as per your spice levels)

Tamarind paste - 1tbsp

****Pappula Podi - 3 tbsp

Jaggery - 2 tbsp

Plain curds/Yogurt - 1/2 cup

Turmeric - 1/2 tbsp

1/2 cup oil

****Pappula Podi Recipe:

http://cookingwithmridula.blogspot.com/2012/08/pappula-podidalia-powder.html

Method:

• Wash bitter gourds and make a slit on one side lengthwise and remove the tough seeds using a knife.
• In a big pan, pour 3 cups of water, 1 tbsp of tamarind paste, pinch of turmeric, salt, jaggery, 1/2 cup of yogurt. Add Bitter gourd to the pan and boil until they are tender but firm to touch. It usually takes 5 mins. Drain and keep the bitter gourd aside to cool.
• .This process helps in removing the bitterness from bitter gourd leaving a slight tangy taste to the bittergourd skin.
• For Filling:
• In a pan, add 2 tbsp of oil and when it is hot, add mustard seeds and curry leaves and fry till mustard seeds splutter
• Add onion pieces to the pan, salt, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and fry till onions are translucent
• Then add 1 tbsp of jaggery and 3 tbsps of pappula podi to the pan and fry the mixture for 2 more min and let it cool
• Stuff the fried onion mixture into the boiled bitter gourds and keep them aside.
• Heat 2 tbsp oil in another pan and place the stuffed bitter gourds carefully and fry over medium - high flame for 5mins until the edges turn crisp and charred.

This fry is very very  tasty and goes well with white Rice, Sambhar combination or with just plain rice :)