Pavakkai Pitlai, also known as Bitter Gourd Pitlai, is a traditional South Indian dish with a significant place in the region’s culinary heritage. This flavorful and authentic recipe is characterized by its unique blend of bitter gourd, toor dal, brown channa and aromatic spices, creating a distinctive and delightful dish. This South Indian Kuzhambu is a delicious accompaniment to hot, steamed rice.
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Pavakkai Pitlai is often made during auspicious occasions, family gatherings, and festivals, where its preparation becomes a part of cherished traditions passed down through generations. Though Pitlai is very similar to arachuvitta sambar, the consistency of Pitlai is a little thicker than sambar.
In my opinion, the best part of this bittergourd pitlai is the black chickpeas. The unique flavour of the chickpeas is a great addition to the slight bitter taste of the kuzhambu. An equal balance of cooked bitter gourd, dal and brown chickpeas should exist. Each bite should have enough of all of these. In our family, Pitlai is prepared on festival days and special occasions. We love having it with hot rice and crispy potato fry.
Adding a little bit of jaggery to this Pitlai balances the sourness of tamarind, the slight bitterness of bitter gourd and spice from coconut chilli paste. Adding jaggery to any tamarind-based dish gives a good balance of taste and flavours.
Why you will love this Pavakkai Pitlai Recipe
The dish offers a distinctive combination of bitter, tangy taste, and the right amount of spices that also give a nice aroma.
Bitter gourd is known for its health benefits, including its potential to help regulate blood sugar levels and promote digestive health. This is a wonderful and easy recipe to include bitter gourd in.
For those with roots in South India, Pavakkai Pitlai is not just a dish but a part of their cultural heritage, often prepared during festivals and family gatherings.
How to make Pavakkai Pitlai?
Wash and soak black chickpeas in enough water overnight or for at least 6-8 hours. Drain the soaked water and add fresh water to the chickpeas. Pressure cook the black chickpeas for 4 whistles. Once cooked, remove any excess water and keep the chickpeas aside.
Soak tamarind in warm water. After a few minutes, extract the tamarind juice and set this aside.
Add toor dal, asafoetida, and turmeric powder to a vessel. Cover with water and place the vessel in a pressure cooker. Pressure cook until the dal is well cooked. Mash the cooked dal and set it aside.
Wash the bitter gourd and chop them into thin slices. Take out the seed from the Bitter Gourd and discard the seeds.
In a pan, add a teaspoon of oil. Once hot, add coriander seeds, chana dal, and red chillies. Fry till golden brown. Finally, add grated coconut. Saute for a minute and switch off.
Let the ingredients cool. Transfer to a mixie jar and make a powder.
Heat oil in the pan. Once hot, add mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds splutter, add curry leaves. Now, add sliced bitter gourd, turmeric powder, and little salt to the pan and saute the bitter gourd to medium flame. Add a little water, close and cook bitter gourd till soft.
Add tamarind extract and let it boil for a while till the raw smell goes away. Now, add the spice powder, cooked brown chick peas, and a bit of jaggery and let it cook well for a few more minutes.
After 5 minutes, add mashed dal to the cooked pavakkai tamarind gravy.
Check for salt. Adjust the consistency by adding water if needed. Give a good stir. Bring it to a boil and switch off the flame.
Serve the delicious pavakkai pitlai with hot, steaming rice and your choice of side dish.
Tips & Suggestions
To reduce the bitterness of the gourd, soak the sliced bitter gourd in salted water for a few minutes before using.
The consistency of the pakarkaai pitlai can be adjusted by adding water or simmering for a longer time, depending on personal preference.
Feel free to adjust the spice levels and tamarind quantity to suit your taste.
Use white chickpeas or cooked peanuts in place of black chickpeas.
Serving Suggestions
Paavakkai Pitlai is best enjoyed with steamed rice, a ghee dollop, and a crispy papad. Combining the rich curry with the fluffy rice gives a satisfying meal. Serve the tasty recipe with potato fry, seppankizhangu roast, and kovakkai fry, among other vegetables.
Frequently asked questions
While bitter gourd is the traditional choice, some recipes incorporate other vegetables like drumsticks, cluster beans, snake gourd, ash gourd, broad beans or brinjal/eggplant for a variation.
Yes, you can reduce the bitterness of the vegetable by soaking it in salted water before cooking. You can also remove the seeds to make it less bitter. The addition of jaggery also balances the bitterness.
Yes, you can store it in the refrigerator for a few days. The flavours of Pavakkai Pitlai become even better the day after it’s made, so it’s a great dish to make ahead of time.
White chickpeas or groundnuts can be used instead of black chickpeas in the pitlai.
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Recipe Card
Pavakkai Pitlai | Bitter Gourd Pitla Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 Bitter Gourd/ Pavakkai Medium
- ½ cup Toor Dal
- ¼ cup Brown Chana
- Salt as needed
- ¼ teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- Tamarind small lemon size
- Jaggery a pinch
For the spice powder
- 1 teaspoon Oil
- ½ tablespoon Coriander Seeds
- 2 teaspoon Chana Dal
- 5 Red Chillies
- ½ cup Grated Coconut
For Tempering
- 1 tsp Sesame Oil
- 1 teaspoon Mustard Seeds
- Asafoetida a pinch
- Curry Leaves few
Instructions
To prepare
- Wash and soak black chickpeas in enough water overnight or for at least 6-8 hours. Drain the soaked water and add fresh water to the chickpeas. Pressure cook the black chickpeas for 4 whistles. Once cooked, remove any excess water and keep the chickpeas aside.
- Soak the tamarind in 2 cups of warm water. After a few minutes, extract the tamarind juice and set this aside.
- Wash the bitter gourd and chop them into thin slices. Take out the seed from the Bitter Gourd and discard the seeds.
- Add toor dal, asafoetida, and turmeric powder to a vessel. Cover with water. Pressure cook for 4 or 5 whistles until the dal is well cooked. Mash the cooked dal and set it aside.
Spice Powder
- In a pan, add a teaspoon of oil. Once hot, add coriander seeds, chana dal, and red chillies. Fry on medium flame till golden brown. Finally, add grated coconut. Saute for a minute and switch off.
- Once it cools down to room temperature, grind the above ingredients to a powder.
To make the pitlai
- In a pan, add a teaspoon of sesame oil. Once hot, add mustard seeds, and asafoetida. Add curry leaves once mustard seeds splutter. Saute for 30 seconds.
- Add sliced bitter gourd to the pan. Add turmeric powder, salt and saute the bitter gourd. Add a little water, close and cook bitter gourd till soft.
- Add tamarind extract and let it boil for a while till the raw smell goes away. Add the spice powder, cooked chickpeas, and a pinch of jaggery and let it cook well for a few more minutes.
- After 5 minutes, add mashed dal to the cooked pavakkai tamarind mixture.
- Check for salt. Adjust the consistency by adding water if needed. Give a good stir. Bring it to boil and switch off the flame.
- Serve the delicious pavakkai pitlai with hot, steaming rice and your choice of side dish.