Pavakkai Sambar/ Bitter Gourd Sambhar

As we know, Sambar is intrinsic to the Tamilnadu cuisine. But, the story of Sambar is very interesting. It is believed that son of the Maratha warrior Shivaji was making Dal once and he added a little Tamarind to the Dal. He liked the concoction and called it as Sambar. But over the time, Sambar became a cuisine of Tamilnadu. Sambar evolved into almost 50 different types in various different regions. Sambar of Tamilnadu is drastically different from the Sambar of Kerala or Karnataka. In Tamilnadu, dry Sambar powder is used whereas wet pastes are used Karnataka. Traditional vegetables are used in the Tanjore region for Sambar whereas the vegetables which came from western region like Potatoes are used in Kerala. So we can keep talking about the Sambar. And we are going to see a Sambar which is made with Bitter Gourd. There are very few who like bitter taste and so, Bitter Gourd is generally avoided. But, preparing the Bitter Gourd properly before we use in the recipe will take the bitter taste and make the dish one of the best liked dish. And we are going to see such a Sambar here using Bitter Gourd. We can discuss the health benefits of Bitter Gourd in length which we will reserve for another dish which we would make with Bitter gourd. Let us now see how to make the tasty Bitter Gourd Sambar.

Ingredients:

For Marination:

Pavakkai (Bitter Gourd / Karela) – 250 Gms

Corriander powder- 1 tbsp

Red Chilli Powder – 1 ½ tsp

Turmeric Powder – ¼ tsp

Tamarind Extract – from one lemon sized Ball soaked in water.

For cooking Dal:

Tur Dal – ½ cup (soaked in water for an hour)

Onion – 2 (chopped)

Green Chillies – 4 (chopped)

Turmeric Powder – ¼ tsp

Asafoetida – 1/8 tsp

Salt – ¼ tsp

Water – 1 ½ cup

For Sambar:

Oil – 1 tbsp

Fenugreek Seeds – 1/8 tsp

Dried Red Chilli – 2 (broken)

Curry Leaves – from 1 sprig

Onion – 1 (chopped)

Jaggery – 1 tbsp

For Tempering:

Coconut Oil – 1 tbsp

Mustard Seeds – 1 tsp

Urad Dal – 1 tsp

Tur Dal – 1 tsp

Curry Leaves – from 2 twigs

Red Chilli – 2 (Broken)

Garlic – 4 pods (Crushed)

Asafoetida – ½ tsp

Onion – 1 (finely chopped)

Method:

Wash and clean the Bitter Gourd. Cut them lengthwise and discard the seeds, if the seeds are hard. Cut them again into medium thick slices. Take them in a mixing bowl. Add ½ tsp of Salt to it. Add Corriander Powder, Turmeric Powder, Red Chilli Powder and Tamarind Extract. Mix them all well. Keep aside for fifteen minutes.

Cook the Dal in a pressure cooker along with all the ingredients given under the “For cooking Dal “column. Cook them for 3 to 4 whistles till the Dal gest done.  

In the meanwhile, heat a tbsp of Oil in a pan. Add Fenugreek Seeds. Add Red Chillies and Curry Leaves in another few seconds. Roast for 20 to 30 seconds. Add the chopped Onion and cook till the Onion become translucent. Add the marinated Bitter Gourd. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes in low medium flame. Add 1 ½ cups of water. Adjust Salt and Tamarind. Add Jaggery. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes in low medium flame covered with a lid till the vegetable is done.

Mash the cooked Dal little with a ladle and add to the above Sambar. Cover with a lid and simmer for 5 to 6 minutes in low flame.

In the meanwhile, heat Coconut Oil for tempering. Add Mustard Seeds. When they crackle, add Urad Dal and Tur Dal. Fry them till the Dal turn pink. Add Curry Leaves and Red Chillies. Stir them. Add crushed Garlic and Asafoetida. Cook in low flame till the raw flavor of the Garlic disappears. Add the finely chopped Onion. Cook for another two minutes in medium flame. Add this tempering to the boiling Sambar. Simmer for 2 minutes covered with a lid. Switch off the flame. Transfer to a serving bowl after 15 to 20 minutes.

Serve with steamed Rice etc.

Note:

Do not skip the Jaggery. This quantity of Jaggery will not make the Sambar sweet. But, it helps to balance the bitterness of the Bitter Gourd and tanginess. It enhances the taste of Sambar to a great extent.