Bitter guord curry - Pagarkai varuval

Ingredients:

Bitter guord - Pakarkai - 1/2 kg
Sesame oil - Nallenai - 4 table spoons
Chilly powder - Milagai thul - 1 table spoon
Coriander powder - Dhania thul - 2 table spoons
Salt to taste
Asafoetida - Perungayam - a pinch
Mustard - Kadugu - 1 tea spoon
Turmeric - Manjal podi - small quantity

Method:

1. Wash and cut bitter guord after removing all the seeds. Boil it for 10 minutes (Either in pressure cooker or microwave oven).
2. Heat oil in a pan/kadai and splutter mustard, add asafoetida and then bitter guord. Add chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and salt to taste. Fry for some 20 minutes.

Hot and tasty bitter guord is ready to be served. It can be served with any rice varieties. It can be served for 3 people. It requires some 30 minutes to cook.

Note: Bitter guord can be cut lenghwise into two so that all the seeds can be removed in one stretch. For bitter guord there is no need to peel off the skin. Add a pinch of salt while the vegetable is boiling. Vegetable has to be always boiled for some 10 minutes and then fried since it will be easy to fry and it will be well cooked and tasty to eat.

Optional: Onion, tomatoes and grated/shredded coconut can be added according to individuals choice.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bitter_gourd

The most remarkeable thing about my mother is that for thirty years she served the family nothing but leftovers. The original meal has never been found.

Calvin Trillin