Indian food need never be a once-a-week-restaurant treat again!
Free Indian Recipe, easy to follow and cook, Indian cooking is simply rewarding!

Ingredients for Pitlai:

• 2 medium bitter gourds ("karela")
  
• 3/4 can chickpeas
  
• 1/2 cup cooked toovar dal
  
• 3 green chillies slit
  
• 1 1/2 tspn tamarind paste
  
• 3-4 red dry chillies
  
• 2 tspns urad dal
  
• 1 1/2 tspn coriander seeds
  
• 1/2 cup grated coconut
  
• few peppercorns
  
• a little jaggery or sugar
• turmeric, salt to taste
  
• mustard seeds, curry leaves, oil for seasoning

Directions for making Pitlai :

1. Slit bitter gourd into four quarters and cut 1/2 inch thick pieces across.
   
2. In a little oil, saute cut bitter gourd and green chillies.
3. Add 2 cups water, tamarind, turmeric and salt.
4. Let simmer until bitter gourd are tender.
5. Add chickpeas and jaggery/sugar.
   
6. While bitter gourd are cooking, in another pan sprinkle a little oil and fry coriander seeds, urad dal, red chillies and peppercorns until well roasted.
7. Add coconut, stir a minute or two and then grind in a blender.
8. Add a little tomato paste if handy for color.
   
9. Blend in coconut paste into the bitter gourd-tamarind mixture.
10. Add the dal. Mix well and reheat a till it begins to simmer. Take off stove.
11. Pour seasoning on top.
12. Enjoy your Pitlai. Hope you love this Indian recipe.