Pagarkkai-Athikai-Masala-Curry

#PagarkkaiAthikaiMasalaCurry : #Athikkai or #Athikai is called #Fig in English. It oozes out milk when it is plucked from its stem and cut into pieces. It immediately changes color when it is cut into pieces. So it has to be immersed in water as soon as it is chopped. It is very flavorful after cooking and also hard to chew. So I always cook them with other vegetables to prepare curry.
Here prepared a tasty masala curry with #BottleGourd [ #Pagarkkai ].

Preparation Time      10 - 15 mins
Cooking time             10 - 15 mins

Ingredients :
3/4 Cup	Pagarkkai chopped
1/4 Cup	Athikai chopped
1 - 2 Tbsp	Green peas
1 pinch	Turmeric powder
1/2 Tsp	Salt [ Adjust ]
To Grind :
3 Tsp	Coconut scrapings
2 -3	Green chilly [ Adjust ] or
1 -2	Red chilly [ Adjust ]
1 Tsp	Cumin seeds
1/2 Tsp	Fennel [ Somp ]
1 Tsp	Coriander powder
10 - 12	Curry leaves
8 - 10	Coriander sprigs
1/4 Tsp	Salt
1 medium size	Onion, chop
Tempering :
1/2 Tsp	Mustard seed
1 Tsp	Black gram split
1 - 2 Tsp	Gingelly oil [ Til / Sesame oil ]

Or any other cooking oil.
small quantity of fresh coriander leaves to garnish

Method :

Take all the ingredients to grind except chopped onion in a blender and grind coarsely adding little water.

Finally add chopped onion and run for 2 seconds.

Transfer the masala paste into a bowl or plate and set aside.

Quadruple each athikai and put in water to avoid discoloration.

Heat a kadai with oil on a stove over medium flame.

Crackle mustard seeds once oil becomes hot and then add black gram split.

Add chopped bottle gourd & athikai after black gram turns golden color.
Also add salt and green peas.

Saute for a minute and close kadai with a lid.
Cook till the vegetables become soft.

Now add ground masala paste.

Mix gently and adjust salt.
Keep turning with ladle at regular interval to avoid sticking to the bottom.

Allow to cook on slow fire until raw smell of masala paste goes off and the curry turns dry.

Finally add chopped fresh coriander leaves and transfer into a serving bowl.

A tasty masala curry is ready to relish with hot white rice mixed 

with sambar or rasam and also tastes good with curd rice.

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Pagarkkai Paruppu Masala Curry

#PagarkkaiParuppuMasalaCurry - #BitterGourdLentilMasalaCurry - #PagarkkaiParuppuUsili : #Pagarkkai colloquially #Pavakkai  in Tamil is called #Bittergourd in English. As the name suggests the taste is bitter. Many people don't like it because of its bitterness. But I like this vegetable very much.
I have already posted recipes to make Pavakkai kara curry and Pavakkai masala curry. This is also same as Pavakkai masala curry except that the masala will have soaked gram dhal.

Ingredients :
Pagarkkai ( Bitter gourd )                 : 200 gm ( 4 medium size )
Oil                                                  : 2 tsp
Turmeric powder                             : a pinch
Mustard seeds                                 : 1/2 tsp
Urad dhal                                        : 1 tsp
salt                                                 : 1/4 tsp

Ingredients for Masala :

Coconut scrap                                 : 3 tsp
Red chilly                                        : 1 ( adjust )
Cumin seeds                                    : 1 tsp
Fennel seeds                                    : 1 tsp
Coriander seeds                                : 1/2 tsp
Onion                                              : 1 small
Small Onion                                     : 3
Garlic cloves                                    : 3
Gram dhal ( Channa dhal )                  : 2 Tbsp
Salt                                                  : 2 pinches
Curry leaves                                     : 8 ( optional )
Coriander leaves                              : small quantity ( optional )

Curry leaves and coriander leaves small quantity to garnish.

Method :
Wash and soak gram dhal half an hour before start preparing this curry.
Wash Pagarkkai thoroughly in water 2 times.
Cut lengthwise into two. If the seeds are well formed remove them. Otherwise do not remove the center portion containing seeds.
Cut into 1/4 inch equal pieces.
Take 1/2 cup of water in a pressure cooker/pan.
Add salt and turmeric powder and then add chopped Pagarkkai pieces.
Pressure cook for one whistle.
Immediately release steam by lifting the weight or keeping cooker under running water.
Drain out the water and transfer into a bowl.
Keep aside.

Grind all the ingredients except onion and soaked gram dhal in a mixe.
At first run mixie without adding water.
Now add little water and grind coarsely.
Then add onion pieces and dhal.

Run for few seconds to split dhal into 2 to three pieces only.

Keep aside.

Keep a kadai on a stove over medium flame.
Splutter mustard seeds and then add urad dhal.
Add cooked pagarkkai only after urad dhal turns to golden color.
Saute for a few seconds.
Then add ground masala and mix well.
Allow to simmer on stove to evaporate water content and to make it dry.
Keep stirring at regular interval. At this stage 2 tsp of oil can be added if you are not really bothered about excess oil intake.

The curry tends to stick to the bottom of kadai because of gram dhal in the masala.
Once the curry turns to golden brown color transfer into a serving bowl.

Garnish with coriander and curry leaves.

Enjoy with Rasam rice or Curd rice.

Note : The curry comes out even more tastier with lots of oil and more gram dhal.
If you want to take off bitterness of Pagarkkai add a country tomato while grinding masala.
I haven't added tomato as I like the taste as it is.






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Pagarkkai Masala Curry

#PagarkkaiMasalaCurry - #BitterGourdMasalaCurry : #Pagarkkai, colloquially #pavakkai  is called #bittergourd in English. It is not liked by all because of its bitter taste. But I like this vegetable very much. Now lets see the recipe of tasty masala curry.

Ingredients :
Pagarkkai [ Bitter gourd ]           : 200 gm

Turmeric powder                        : a pinch
Salt                                           : 1/2 tsp ( adjust )
Coriander leaves to garnish.

To grind :

Coconut scrapings                    : 3 tsp
Cumin seeds                              : 1 tsp
Fennel                                       : 1 tsp
Coriander seeds                         : 1/2 tsp
Red chilly                                   : 1 ( adjust )
Garlic cloves                              : 2
Onion                                        : 1 small size
Curry leaves                               : 10 to 12
Coriander leaves                          : small quantity
salt                                            : 1/4 tsp

To temper :
Mustard seeds                             : 1/2tsp
Urad dhal                                    : 1 tsp
Oil                                              : 2 tsp

Method :
Take all the ingredients except onion in a mixer grinder jar.
First grind without water.
Then add little water and grind well.
Now add onion and run for few seconds only.
Keep aside the prepared masala.
Chop pagarkkai into small pieces of equal size.

Keep a kadai on slow flame with oil.
Splutter mustard seeds and then add urad dhal.
Now add cut pagarkkai and saute for a minute.
Now add turmeric powder and salt.

Sprinkle some water and mix well.
Close with a lid to cook the vegetable.
When it is done open the lid and add masala.
Mix well and adjust salt.
Keep stirring at regular intervals till all the water gets evaporated.

Transfer into a serving bowl.
Garnish with coriander leaves.

Goes well with sambar rice, white rice mixed with sambar or rasam.
I like to have this masala curry with curd rice.









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