Bitter Gourd – Parikka Pittla – Brahmin Special

For preparing bitter gourd / parikka pittla - brahmin special, first cook bitter gourd in water with a pinch of turmeric powder. Keep aside. 2)Wash tuvar dal and boil it in 3 cups of water with pinch of turmeric powder in pressure cooker.

Fry dhaniya seeds, chana dal, ulundu parappu, pepper, fenugreek, and red chillies for a few minutes in coconut oil.

Add grated coconut(only 1 cup) and fry again.

Grind the mixture with sufficient quantity of water.

Fry mustard seeds and urad dal in coconut oil, and add cooked bitter guard and then fry it in gingelly oil. After a few minutes put sugar (this is to mask the bitterness of bitter guard).

Soak tamarind in water and squeeze out the juice. Add the 6th step mixture to the tamarind water and boil it with turmeric powder and salt.

Add boiled dal (2nd step) to the tamarind water and again boil it.

Add the ground mixture of the 5th step to tamarind water and boil it for few minutes and then add asafoetida to this.

Fry the remaining half cup grated coconut in coconut oil till it becomes brown in color.

Add this coconut to the mixture.

Add curry leaves.

Bitter gourd / parikka pittla - brahmin special recipe, is ready.