Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • Bitter melon- 3 medium size
  • Onion- 1 big
  • Green or red chilies - 3 nos.
  • Garlic cloves - 4-5
  • Ginger piece - one small piece
  • Salt - as necessary
  • Jaggery - 2 tsp
  • Water - 1/4 cup
  • Turmeric powder- 1 tsp
  • Tamarind paste - 1 tsp
  • Red Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp (optional)
  • Coconut (grated) - 3/4 to 1 cup
  • For Tempering
  • Sunflower or other cooking oil - 2 tsp
  • Mustard - 1 tsp
  • Urid Dhal - 2 tsp
  • Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
  • Curry leaves - 9 to 10 nos.
  • Dry chilies - 2 numbers (Optional)
  • Shallots - 5 nos

Instruction

  • First wash and cut bitter-melons into small pieces. Finely chop onion, shallots, ginger, garlic and chillies into small pieces.
  • Switch on the stove. In a kadai or pan, pour about 2 tsp of sunflower oil or any other cooking oil.
  • Put mustard seeds and allow it to splutter. Add curry leaves, chopped shallots, cumin seeds, dry chiilies and urid dhal.
  • Now you need to reduce the flame and saute for 2 minutes until the shallots become light brown. Do not put on high flame as it will turn urid dhal into black colour.
  • Add chopped onion and saute well till it becomes transparent. To speed up this step, add salt to onion while sauteing.
  • Now add ginger pieces, garlic pieces, green or red chillies.
  • Add chopped bitter melon pieces and mix well. Then add necessary salt, turmeric powder and red chilly powder.
  • Add jaggery powder and tamarind paste. Mix everything using a spoon and sprinkle some water here and there. Allow it to cook for about 5 minutes. Do not pour water, instead just sprinkle.
  • Now the bitter melon pieces will be cooked. Take care not to overcook the vegetables, as all nutrients will be lost if overcooked. Sprinkle grated coconut and mix well. Switch off the stove.