Bitter Gourd Curry

Ingredients

• 2-3 tbsps Peanuts
• 2 tbsps Sesame Seeds
• 1 tsp Chana Dal
• 1 tsp Urad Dal
• 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
• 1 tsp Coriander Seeds
• 1/4 tsp Methi Seeds
• 6 Dried Red Chillies
• Other Ingredients:
• 2 Bitter Gourds
• 3 tbsps Oil
• 1 tsp Mustard Seeds
• 1 tsp Urad Dal
• 1 tsp Chana Dal
• 1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds
• Pinch Asafoetida
• 3 Dried Red Chillies
• 1 Onion (Chopped)
• 2 tsps Ginger Garlic Paste
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 tbsp Tamarind Paste or 1 cup Tamarind Extract
• 1 Cube Jaggery or 1 tbsp Jaggery

Steps

1. Firstly, Wash the bitter gourds nicely. Cut into thick round slices. Remove the seeds. Add it to a bowl. Add salt. Mix well and set aside for 30 minutes. This reduces the bitterness of the bitter gourd and absorbs the salt. If you like the bitter taste then you may skip this step.
2. Keep all the ingredients ready for dry roasting.
3. Take a pan and dry roast all the ingredients mentioned under "Roast and Grind". Roast on low flame until it turns aromatic.
4. Remove the skin of the peanuts.
5. Allow the roasted ingredients to cool completely.
6. Transfer the cooled roasted ingredients to a blender and blend into a fine powder and set aside.
7. After 30 minutes of resting, squeeze off the bitter gourd juice so that it's bitterness is reduced.
8. Heat oil in a pan. Add the bittergourd slices and fry it till light golden and crisp. Remove from pan and set aside.
9. In the same pan, heat some more oil, if needed. Add mustard seeds and allow it to crackle. Add urad dal, chana dal, cumin seeds, asafoetida and dried red chillies and allow it to splutter.
10. Add onions and ginger garlic paste and saute it well.
11. Add in the fried bitter gourd slices, turmeric powder and salt and saute it well.
12. Now add in the prepared roasted masala powder and saute it lightly.
13. Add in the strained jaggery water and tamarind paste and mix well. Adjust the consistency as required.
14. Cover and boil until oil separates and is seen at the surface of the gravy. You can garnish with coriander leaves for additional flavor.
15. Bitter Gourd Curry is ready. Serve it with hot steamed rice or roti and bitter gourd fry.