Pavakkai Pitlai - Bitter Melon Sambhar

I am not a great fan of Pavakkai, however Pavakai Pitlai is an exception. It tastes great with rice and appalam. The taste of bitterness of the Pavakkai in this curry takes the curry to another level.

The freshly prepared Sambhar powder adds depths of flavour to this dish.

Ingredients

Bitter Gourd - 2-3 Big Gourds or 150 Grams of small gourds (Finely Chopped)
Tamarind - Gooseberry Size
Kabuli Channa / garbanzo - 1/2 Cup (Soaked overnight and cooked - Optional)
Thoor Dal - 1/2 Cup
Asafoetida/Hing - A generous Pinch
Turmeric Powder - A pinch
Jaggery - 1 Teaspoon
Salt and Oil (Preferably Coconut Oil)
Curry Leaves - Few
Mustard Seeds - 1/4 Teaspoon

For the Sambhar Powder:

Channa Dal - 2 Tablespoon
Urad Dal - 1 Teaspoon
Red Dry Chillies - 8
Black Pepper - 1/2 Teaspoon
Coriander Seeds - 2 Teaspoon
Grated Coconut - 1/2 Cup

Method

• Pressure cook the Thoor dal with Turmeric powder and asafoetida with enough water for 2 whistles or till done.
• Soak Tamarind in enough water and extract the Tamarind Juice and keep it aside.
• In a pan, add a teaspoon of Oil and add all the Ingredients given under the " for the powder" and saute till it leaves a nice aroma.
• If you are a beginner or not sure of how much time each ingredient will take, then saute them individually so that you don't burn any ingredient. 
• Grind the sauteed ingredients and keep it aside. 
• In a pan, add a teaspoon of oil, and once the oil is warm add the mustard seeds and allow them to splutter
• Then add the curry leaves and chopped bitter gourd. cook till the gourd is cooked.
• Once the gourd is cooked add the Tamarind juice and boil it till the raw flavor is gone. 
• Then add the prepared powder and cook till the flavor of the masala is gone.
• Then add the cooked Thoor Dal, Jaggery and Garbanzo and cook till it boils.
• After the first boil switch off the stove and serve with Rice and Appalam. 

Yellow Pumpkin Sambhar

I just cant believe that I have not posted the recipe of Sambhar. Obviously being a South Indian Sambhar is a staple Food. It tastes good with Rice,Idly or Pongal.

Ingredients

Thoor Dhall - 1/2 Cup
Yellow Pumpkin - 1 Cup (Cleaned and cut into cubes)
Onion - 1 (Medium,Chopped)
Tomato - 1 (Medium Chopped)
Chilly Powder - 1/2 Teaspoon
Coriander Powder - 1/2 Teaspoon
Asafoetida - A pinch
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 Teaspoon
Mustard - 1/4 Teaspoon
Cumin - 1/4 Teaspoon
Fenugreek Seeds - A pinch
Ghee - 1 Teaspoon (Optional)
Oil and Salt
Tamarind - half of Lemon Sized (Soaked in 1 Cup of water)
Curry Leaves - 5
Coriander Leaves - 2 Sprigs

Preparation:

Dal
Wash Thoor Dhall and soak it in 2 Cups of water for 30 minutes. (if possible).
Place the Dhall in a pressure cooker, add Turmeric powder and Asafoetida and cook for 3 whistles.

Tamarind
Soak Tamarind in a cup of water, preferably warm water for 15- 20 minutes. After soaking, squeeze the tamarind in the water and filter the pulp. We would be using this pulp for this recipe.

Pumpkin

In a pan, heat 1 cup of water and bring it to boil. Once the water is boiling add the pumpkin and cook for 5 minutes or till it is done.

Method:

In a pan, heat a Tablespoon of oil. Once the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds and once it splutters add the Cumin and once it splutters Fenugreek seeds and then add Onion and Curry leaves.

Cook the onion for 2-3 minutes and then add the Tomato and cook for 3 minutes or till the tomato is mushy.

Then add the Chilly powder, Coriander powder and saute for 2 minutes. To this add Tamarind Pulp and Salt.

Cook this for 5-7 minutes or till the raw smell is gone.

Once the raw smell is gone, add the Dal with water and the Pumpkin and cook for a minute or till the first boil.

Then switch off the flame and garnish with Coriander leaves and a teaspoon of ghee.