Pavakkai Puli Kuzhambu Chettinad style (Bitter gaurd Hot and Sour Gravy)
In my blog on pavakkai masala itself,I have mentioned about the importance of this wonder vegetable of the diabetic people.As I mentioned in that blog,the taste of this vegetable if well cooked is mouth watering.Though many of us don't even go near this vegetable in the market,will one day be forced to cook this for some guest or relative.If you make this gravy exactly as given in this blog ,I am sure you will be for a great appreciation.
For the curry to be less bitter or not bitter at all make sure that while cooking pavakkai the cut vegetable has to be sauted in oil nicely till it is almost cooked(5 to 6 minutes in medium fire).
Another thing to be noted while making puli kuzhambu is that it should be cooked till at least 3 cups of the curry should get reduced to 1 cup .Coriander powder should be added to make the gravy thick.Too much of tamarind should not be used.The tamarind used for sambar itself will be enough
Ingredients
Bitter guard-1(medium size) Buy little less green and less thorn shaped for less bitterness
Small onions-10
garlic-10
Tomato-1
Sambar powder-11/2 teaspoon
Coriander powder-1 table spoon
Turmeric powder-1/2 teaspoon
curry leaf -little
Tamarind -little(as shown in the picture) or 2 teaspoons paste
jaggery-1 small piece
For seasoning
Mustard seed-1 teaspoon
Fennel seed-1 teaspoon
Fenugreek seed-1/2 teaspoon
Gingelly oil-2 table spoons
Procedure
As I told earlier the taste of the curry depends on how you cook the gravy.
Keep the kadai in the stove.Season the gravy.Saute onions,garlic and tomatoes for a minute.Add the bitter gaurd pieces.Reduce the flame to medium and saute for 5 to 6 minutes.Meantime in 3 to 4 cups of water mix the tamarind,the salt needed,sambar powder,coriander powder and turmeric powder and add after the pieces are sauted well.Let the gravy cook for 5 minutes in medium fire.Then reduce the fire and cook till the gravy becomes thick and get reduced to 1/3 quantity.If the gravy is going to be served for non diabetic people, add a small piece of jaggery and cook for 2 more minutes.Adding jaggery will give an excellent taste to the curry
35 comments:
Aachi,
When i cook chicken or mutton it tastes good.But becomes hard to chew.what could be the reason for that
Venkatalakshmi,The reason for the mutton or chicken getting hard after cooking can be many
1.while buying go for tender and most recently packed meat.In India we get fresh meat.Then you can make sure that it is young and tender by selecting mutton which is white(not too red).
While buying chicken also get a chicken which is medium in size.If not getting whole chicken then get leg pieces or pieces known to be soft.
Before cooking Marinate the chicken by adding lime juice or curd.This will make the meat tender
Cook little extra time
Dont make the curry very dry in oil
this will fry the meat and make it hard
First try cooking little more time and with little gravy atleast(dont cook dry)
by experience things will get alright
This looks perfect, but the thing whatever the vegetable colour is, it is bitter only. I couldn't get rid of the bitterness and my whole family is against this veggie. Though I like it, am not able to cook it.
Aachi,
I love your site its awasome. Your corriander powder is looking red in color are you adding anything to that and I want know how you prepare your sambar powder
nice different kulambu...delicious
Hi,
I am surprised that Bittergourd(Pavakkai) is avoided in Tamilnadu. I am not Indian, so I don't understand the aversion to it. My mom cooks Pavakkai kuzhambu all the time. It's an excellent source of nutrition. Amma even adds it to stew, and I recall someone saying that this particular recipe was followed only by people of my parent's hometown:-) All the Tamil grocery stores in South Ontario(Canada), carry Pavakkai for sure. I am sure many eat it out of force, but no doubt about its goodness. But my Amma has never added Jaggery.
Like all good things that may not taste great, like Vendakkai, this too, will be appreciated for its nutrition.
I like your recipes. Not too much of the masala stuff(I barely use anything more than curry powder(Tamil style) and maybe Sambar powder). I did try the brinjal fry, but I used way too much brinjal. Will definitely try your way of making Pavakkai kuzhambu tomorrow.
Hi Solai Achi, i stumbled upon your blogspot and am so happy I did. I only read your recipes, yet to try them, but I will soon and post my comments. but your recipes all look great. i was looking for recipes on pavakkai, mutton chukka, etc, very happy to see them here. I love chettinad food. I have wanted to do this - post recipes to help young people, but never did it. i really appreciate your effort. Well done !
Sujatha
Hi Solai Achi, i stumbled upon your blogspot and am so happy I did. I only read your recipes, yet to try them, but I will soon and post my comments. but your recipes all look great. i was looking for recipes on pavakkai, mutton chukka, etc, very happy to see them here. I love chettinad food. I have wanted to do this - post recipes to help young people, but never did it. i really appreciate your effort. Well done !
Sujatha
Aachi
When i came to belgium i dont have any idea about cooking.But now my hubby says that my dishes are good.its all because of you.thank you aachi
Hi Solai ..
I love all your dishes. Absolutely great. I tried almost every one of them and save the recipes as a treasure. One request from my end.. Can you just provide recipes that goes with chappathi/roti/parotta? It would be great if you could post them when time permits. Thanks much 1 Keep up your work. You Rock!!
Hi aunty,
your receipes are very delicious,and also easy to make a wonderful receipes after taking down your receipe directions.once again thanks a lot for such a wonderful website.
Hi Aachi,
Whenever I prepare any type of Kulambu, it does not get thick at all. Its consistency remains watery always. Maybe I am adding lot of tamarind water. Also I am using store bought kulambu powder, which does not give so much taste. Can you give us the recipe for making Kulambu podi, sambar podi and rasam podi at home? It will be very useful for all of us. Thanks in advance Aachi.
hi aachi
amazing recepie.i tried this yesterday it came out so well with the given exact measurements.
Aunty,
This receipe is wonderful. When i looked more closely at the profile, the name sounded very familiar. And guess what, I caught you on net :)) .. Find me? :))
I know dear,Whenever I hear this name,I will remember you only geetha saran.
hi.iam preethi from virachalai,now in dhaka.very nice to see chettinad recipes in sites.before i use to call my mom or mother-in-law for my doubts in cooking,but after visiting this site,iam not calling anyone.thanks.always i hate bitter gaurd,but today i enjoyed.it was little bit bitter(i fried bitter gaurd seperately,you can also try) but very tasty.my daughter shwetha(21 months old)liked it.once again thanks for that.if u know put some dieting recipes,gravy for chapathi also.
Hi solai aachi...
I am newly married and in US now...
I dint have any knowledge about cooking... But i hav started to acquire ur chettinad taste now a days.. :-)Am not even asking my mom or in laws for help...
Thanks a lot for ur wonderful help...
Today i have tried out pavakkai puli kozhambu and chow chow kootu curry... Both hav come out fantastic....
Hi Aunty,
This is an awesome recipe for people who hate this veggie. Tried it today and it came out really well.
good,I think many are liking this veg once they know how to cook it.It is one of the most tastiest vegetables as far as I am concerned.you should develop a taste for it.very good for health too.
Anbin aachikku,
I love your blogspot.
Chicken kothu rotti recipe post panrela please.
pritha
Hello Achi,
Thanks for sharing the receipe. I tried the pavakkai puli kuzhambu for the first time and it came out good. Can't wait to try other mouth watering receipes of your.
nice gravy but how to reduce the bitter taste of it madam
Hi
We enjoy all the dishes made from bitter gourd. Bitter gourd is my daughter's favorite and i want to try this yummy recipe for her. Could you please advise me whether it is mandatory to use gingely oil?
No kavita,it is not essential to use gingelly oil.But we usually use this oil for all pulikuzhambu since it has good smell and less in fat.
Thanks a lot.
Appreciate your immediate reply inspite of hectic schedule at home.
Hello aunty,
I tried it and it was really very yummy. My daughter enjoyed and even asked for more. As we normally do for bitter gourd fry, I added salt to them, after 30 minutes sqeezed out all the water and then carefully followed all your instructions.
Thank you so much.
Hello Aunty,
I tried this recipe few days back came out well. My husband liked it very much. Today I am going to try your pavakkai masala. Thanks for all the tasty recipes.
Thanks,
Shankari
Hi Aunty,
Can i prepare Okra with the same receipie?
Thanks.
Aachi,
Where does the spice getting into the reecipe ?
I tried this recipe and I really like it. Thanks for sharing...
Thanks,
Sureshkannan.
I tried this recipie and it came great... I never prepared puzhi kulabu before. First time I did and the taste was amazing... Your Quantites and steps worked very perfectly.. Thank you very much... Keep on posting.. :)
Hello aunty,
We tried this,came out well,we couldn't feel the bitterness of the veggie,we liked it a lot,never made pulikuzhambhu out of bitter gourd,nice recipe,thank you,skl
Excellent..I prepared nice
Hi solai aachi....excellent puli kulambu recipie......so easy and quick to cook and yummy...we follow the same recipie with a little variation...we us egingely oil and no coriander pdr....but more puli(puli kulambu! )...tried ur variation and all of us enjoyed it...thanx.......anupa.
Hi, the pavakkai puli kuzhambu turned out excellent when I tried. Thank you so much!!
Hai,pavakkai puli kolambu is very nice to taste thanks for tis recipe...
Post a Comment