Did I just hear you say, I don’t like bitter gourd? Think again… Yes, Bitter gourd is bitter and that is the nature of the vegetable. But if cooked properly using the right ingredients and technique, the bitterness of the dish can be masked very well. Bitter gourd is one of my family’s favorite vegetables. We grow a lot of it in our backyard each year and it yields quite a bit. We use as much as we can during the growing season and freeze the rest to use throughout the year.
What is Pitlai
Pitlai is a kind of sambhar or kootu made with freshly ground spices. Pavakkai or bitter gourd is the most common vegetable used to make this Pitlai. It is one of the very famous recipes in a typical Tamil Brahmin family. It is made in tamarind gravy with freshly ground spices. Pitlai is also made with other vegetables but pavakkai pitlai is the most common kind.
How to clean the Bitter gourd
Cleaning the bitter gourd is very important in removing the bitterness from the vegetable. Wash the bitter gourd and have them ready (step 1). For making Pitlai, we usually cut both the tips of the bitter gourd and then slice them in thin slices (step 2). Bitter gourd has a fleshy center pulp that comes out very easily. Using your fingers, carefully remove the fibrous inner pulp. This is where the seeds of the bitter gourd are also found (step 3). Do this for all the circles. This helps in drastically reducing the bitterness of the vegetable. (step 4)
Ingredients needed for Bitter gourd Pitlai
We need fresh pavakkai / bitter gourd. I also use chickpeas in my Bitter gourd pitlai. We can either use canned ones or dried ones. If using dry chickpeas, make sure to soak them overnight in water. We need tamarind for the sambhar. I use fresh tamarind, but tamarind pulp can also be used. Cooked Tuvaram paruppu / Tuvar dal / red lentils are a very important ingredient. Apart from this, we need the coriander seeds, chana dal (kadalai paruppu), Urad dal (ullutham Paruppu), red chilies, and coconut to be fried and ground into a paste. For seasoning we use mustard seeds, urad dal, curry leaves, and asafetida. Finally, we need salt to taste, jaggery, or brown sugar to further help cut the bitterness, and cilantro to garnish.
Step By Step Process
Fry all the ingredients needed for the masala paste in a teaspoon of oil (step 1) and then grind it into a coarse paste (step 2) adding just a little water. Keep it aside.
Cook the toor dal / tuvaram paruppu with a pinch of turmeric powder in a pressure cooker or instant pot until soft and mushy and keep it aside. (step 3)
Dissolve the tamarind in water and extract the juice. Add the sliced bitter gourd / pagarkkai to the tamarind water. (Step 4)
Add the sambhar powder, salt, and asafetida and let the mixture boil until the raw smell disappears and the bitter gourd cooks halfway through(about 10 minutes). (Step 5)
Then add the cooked chickpeas to the boiling mixture and let it continue to boil until the pavakkai cooks completely. (Step 6)
Now add the ground mixture to the pot and mix it well. (Step 7)
Add the cooked lentil / paruppu as well and adjust the consistency adding a little water if needed. Remember this pitlai will be slightly thicker in consistency than the sambhar. Also, add the jaggery / brown sugar to the pitlai now. (Step 8)
Let it simmer for about 5 minutes and then season with mustard seeds, urad dal, and curry leaves. (Step 9)
It is very important to remove the center pulp of the bitter gourd. That is where most of the bitterness is and removing it makes it a lot less bitter. Read the section above where I have explained how to clean the bitter gourd. Using chickpeas is optional but I would highly recommend using it. You can use canned ones for ease or soak some dry chickpeas overnight and then cook it in the instant pot or pressure cooker. We can use white chickpeas, black chickpeas, or even other beans like black-eyed peas. Using Sambhar powder is optional and you could skip it if you don’t have it. Make sure to increase the red chilies based on that. Serve Pavakkai Pitlai with hot rice and a dollop of ghee for the best flavors.
How to serve
Pavakkai Pitlai is a completely vegan sambhar / kootu that pairs great with rice. If you are not a vegan, add a dollop of ghee to make it taste even better. I serve Bitter gourd pitlai with idli and dosai as well. The slight bitterness along with the chunky chickpeas tastes really good with dosai. It is also a great side dish for Ven Pongal, Arisi Upma, or Rava Upma.
More recipes with Bitter gourd
Bitter gourd chips in Air fryer Bitter gourd pickle / Pavakkai Urugai Pavakkai Podi / Bitter gourd spice powder
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