Kakarakaya Pachadi (Bittergourd Chutney)

I am not a big fan of spicy Indian style pickles. My mom makes sure she keeps me stocked with fresh pickles every year, but I rarely eat them. In my house, my husband is the major consumer of these spicy pickles. He also likes the simple chutneys made with vegetables, so I make them occasionally. They keep well in the fridge for 4~5 days.

I saw this pachadi/ chutney recipe made with bitter gourd/ kakarakaya on a cooking show. Recipe is very simple to make and the method of making is quite interesting. Bitter gourd is usually cooked with lot oil for a very long time to reduce the bitterness, but in this recipe it is ground into a coarse paste and then cooked in little bit of oil until it is cooked through.

I was initially skeptical on how the chutney was going to turn out, but it tasted great. It was very mildly bitter and was super tasty. It is great to serve with steamed rice, roti or even dosa.

Ingredients:

Kakarakaya (Bittergourd) - 1 cup chopped (about 2 medium or 4 small)

Onion - 1medium

Red Chili powder - 2tsp (adjust as per taste)

Tamarind paste - 1~2tbsp (adjust as per taste)

Kosher Salt - 2tsp (adjust as per taste)

For Tempering:

Chana dal - 2tsp

Urad dal - 2tsp

Mustard seeds - 1tsp

Cumin seeds - 1tsp

Asafoetida/ Hing - ¼tsp 

Dry Red Chilies - 2

Method:

• Grind bittergourd, onions, tamarind paste, salt and red chili powder into a paste. If you like texture to your chutney, then coarsely grind it or make it into a smooth paste.
• Heat 3tbsp oil, add the tempering ingredients and once the dals get golden and the seeds start to splutter, add the paste. Turn off the heat to low and cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture comes thickens and bittergourd is cooked through, about 12~15 minutes.
• Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.

Linking this to Valli's 'Cooking from Cookbook Challenge: March -- Week 4'.