Bitter Gourd Aviyal - Pavakkai Aviyal

Today we are going to see an interesting aviyal recipe with bitter gourds. Usually we prepare aviyal by cooking the vegetable with required water and then we add coconut paste and finished with either tamarind or curd.

In this bitter gourd aviyal, to reduce the bitterness we have to cook the bitter gourds in the tamarind extract until soft and then we have to add the coconut paste. Generally for bitter gourd recipes if we add sour, salt, spice and oil in a good amount it can balance the bitter taste. Plus cooking the bitter gourds along with small onions with rich flavours like coconut oil also enhances the taste. This bitter gourd aviyal tastes good with sambar, pulikuzhambu and kara kuzhambu. In this aviyal recipe, I have added red chilly powder instead of green chillies but you can add dried red chilli to it. Now let's see how to prepare bitter gourd aviyal with step by step instructions.

Check out my other Aviyal recipes

Check out my other Bitter gourd recipes

Bitter Gourd Aviyal - Pavakkai Aviyal Recipe Details

Prep time : 15 minutes
Cook time : 25 minutes
Serves : 4
Category : side dish
Author : Muthulakshmi Madhavakrishnan

Ingredients

2 medium bitter gourd
20 small onions
1 tbsp tamarind, tightly packed
1 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp red chilly powder
1 tsp mustard
1 tsp urid dal
few curry leaves
salt to taste
3 tbsp coconut oil

For coconut paste

3/4 cup fresh grated coconut
5 small onions
1 tsp cumin

Cooking Directions

Wash the bitter gourds and cut in half lengthwise. Remove the seeds and cut into 1 inch length with medium thickness. Soak the tamarind in hot water for 10 minutes and extract the juice with 1 cup of water.
Heat coconut oil in a heavy bottomed kadai and add the sliced small onions. Stir and saute on medium heat for 4 minutes.
Next, add the bitter gourds and saute well with the onions for 5 minutes.
When it starts to turn it's colour add the tamarind extract and mix well.Close it with a lid and cook for 10 to 12 minutes. In the meantime, grind the coconut, small onions and cumin with little water.
When the bitter gourds are cooked well in the tamarind extract, add the chilly powder and turmeric powder. Mix well.
Add the required salt and mix well. Now add the ground coconut paste and mix it well with the bitter gourds.
If the aviyal appears thick add some water and mix it.Cook the aviyal on medium heat for 5 minutes until the raw smell of the cumin goes off.
Now turn off the heat and add a handful of fresh curry leaves.
Heat a tsp of coconut oil and add the mustard and urid dal. When it splutters add it to the hot aviyal and mix it well.

Bitter Gourd Aviyal - Pavakkai Aviyal with step by step photos

Wash the bitter gourds and cut in half lengthwise. Remove the seeds and cut into 1 inch length with medium thickness. Soak the tamarind in hot water for 10 minutes and extract the juice with 1 cup of water.

Heat coconut oil in a heavy bottomed kadai and add the sliced small onions. Stir and saute on medium heat for 4 minutes.

Next, add the bitter gourds and saute well with the onions for 5 minutes.

When it starts to turn it's colour add the tamarind extract and mix well.Close it with a lid and cook for 10 to 12 minutes.

In the meantime, grind the coconut, small onions and cumin with little water.

When the bitter gourds are cooked well in the tamarind extract, add the chilly powder and turmeric powder. Mix well.

Add the required salt and mix well.Now add the ground coconut paste and mix it well with the bitter gourds.

If the aviyal appears thick add some water and mix it.Cook the aviyal on medium heat for 5 minutes until the raw smell of the cumin goes off.

Now turn off the heat and add a handful of fresh curry leaves.

Heat a tsp of coconut oil and add the mustard and urid dal. When it splutters add it to the hot aviyal and mix it well. Transfer the aviyal to the serving dish and close it with a lid.

Tasty Bitter gourd aviyal is ready to serve. Enjoy with sambar, pulikuzhambu or kara kuzhambu.

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