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Pavakka Mathura Curry/ Sweet Bitter gourd Curry


Pavakka Mathura Curry/ Sweet Bitter gourd Curry

Bitter gourd is a staple vegetable in Indian cuisine. Bitter gourd or pavakka is bitter but has several impressive health benefits. It is rich in Vitamin C, A, and folates. It helps in reducing blood sugar levels and aids weight loss. Many have a love-hate relationship with this veggie, but there are some dishes with a bitter gourd that tastes delicious and this veggie deserves recognition. There are ways in which you can make it less bitter. Crispy frying the bitter gourd is the best way to reduce bitterness. Adding yogurt, spices, and tamarind also helps. Spicy, bitterness and tangy taste complement each other so well. Today's recipe is a no-fuss, delicious curry, and has a sweet, bitter, and sour taste to it. It is similar to Kerala Sadhya style theeyal but tastes somewhat like puli inji (ginger pickle), and both have tamarind to balance the bitterness.

Pavakka or bitter gourd is closely related to zucchini, squash, and cucumber. Pavakka or bitter gourd is a vegetable known for its nutritious value and medicinal properties. The Chinese variety is long pale green, and the Indian bitter gourd has a darker green spiky exterior. You can use any variety, to make this curry. Along with tamarind, roasted coconut paste adds flavor and taste to the curry. To make this curry spices, and coconut gets roasted till it attains a golden brown color. Dry roasting the spices will bring out the essential oils, and coconut is more aromatic and flavorful. Try this easy recipe. It goes well with steamed rice.

Ingredients
Bitter gourd- 3 
Shallots chopped- 1/2 cup
coconut- 1/2 cup
Ginger- 1 inch
fenugreek seeds- 1 tsp
Chilly powder- 1 tsp
Coriander powder  - 2 tsp
Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp
tamarind- small lemon sized ball
Jaggery- 3-4 tsp
Thick coconut milk- 1/3 cup
Curry leaves- 2spring
mustard - 1/2 tsp
Dry Red Chilly- 2
Oil
Salt to taste.

In a heavy bottom pan, heat one tablespoon of oil. Add grated coconut, fenugreek seeds, and curry leaves. Fry this in a low medium flame until coconut is golden brown. Make a fine powder of this and set it aside.
Chop bitter gourd into thin slices and stir fry them (using very little oil) till it is also browned up and set aside. In the same pan and some more oil and add mustard seeds. When it splutters, add dry red chilly and curry leaves and fry them a bit and add ginger and saute a bit.
Add shallots, salt, and turmeric and saute till golden brown.
Now add the bitter gourd, chilly powder, and coriander powder and fry for a minute. Add thick tamarind pulp and 1/2 cup of water and allow it to simmer. Mix in the thick coconut milk and adjust consistency.  When the gravy thickens, add the roasted coconut powder and jaggery and mix well and switch off the flame. Serve hot with rice and buttermilk curry.

You might also like,

Pavakka/Bitter gourd Kichadi
Pavakka Varuthathu/ Fried Bitter Gourd
Kaithachakka Tenga Aracha Curry/Pineapple Coconut Curry
Potato Masala/ Sadhya Urulakizhangu Masala
Thakkali Pachadi- Tomato Yogurt Curry- Sadhya Special 

Try it,

Hope you will all enjoy!

Comments

  1. Looks delicious...adding jaggery is new for me...

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  2. Lovely recipe, will surely try this when i buy bittergourd..

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  3. Beautiful color and looks delicious dear....

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  4. .suja pavakka mathura curry looks so delicious nice pic too.
    pavakka is my hus favorite dish.its very common in our menu.but i doesn't like that bitter taste. .sure i will try this one. because of the sweetness i can also eat it.thanks for the recipe..good one yarr..loved it

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  5. i liked this one...would tate great with roti

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  6. the curry rocks..looks so invitiong and decicious...lovely pics..we make this sweet sour and spicy...

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  7. Curry looks lovely and delicious.

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  8. Looks gr8 and perfect. Children will definitely love it. Thanks a lot for sharing this recipe :)

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  9. This curry looks great Suja...must be very tasty...I am going to try this :)

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  10. Curry looks awesome Suja, yummy dish..

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  11. It looks so great and red colored :)

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  12. wow!pavakka curry luks very delicious n tempting Suja!luv pavakka in any form

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  13. Lovely pic.. wonderful colour..

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  14. This is a new dish to me..I will surely try this sometime since me and my hubby are big fans of pavakka..Great recipe!!

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  15. Curry looks so yummy and nice pics!!
    http://padhuskitchen.blogspot.com/

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  16. I love pavakka, this is sucha delicious recipe, totally interesting...count me in:)

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  17. hey, thanks for dropping by and for your lovely comment at my blog...apprecitated...love karela...that dish is very new to me...will try this out...looks delicious...gr8 recipe! Thanks for sharing the same...tk care!

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  18. Thanks dear friends for stopping by and sweet comments.

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  19. First time here:)Love the pavakka curry..Looks spicy and sure it wil be an easy way to eat pavakka

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  20. looks awesome. thanks for sharing this recipe!

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  21. this is lovely...normally i make dry curry with pavakka...loved all your authentic recipes...very happy to follow you...will be back soon to check out more recipes!

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  22. Paavakkai is our family favorite.Will try this version too.Thanks for sending it across to the event

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  23. Thanks all for stopping by and for the sweet comments and encouraging words...do visit again.

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  24. Love pavakka..this one is good

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