Known to have many health benefits, this tasty pagarkai (pavakkai) kulambu makes a great curry for rice. This kulambu has just enough sweet and spice to tame the strong bitter flavors that come from the vegetable itself.
Dry roast ingredients and grind 
Saute onions and garlic 
Add pagarkai and turmeric powder 
Add ground paste and mix 
Add tamarind extract and boil until cooked 
Pagarkai Kulambu
Known to have many health benefits, this tasty pagarkai (pavakkai) kulambu makes a great curry for rice. This kulambu has just enough sweet and spice to tame the strong bitter flavors that come from the vegetable itself.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 2 cups pagarkai (bitter gourd) (cut into circles)
- ½ cup onion (chopped)
- 6 garlic cloves
- ½ cup tomato (cubed)
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- 1 marble sized tamarind (soaked in 1 cup water)
- ½-1 cup water (as needed)
- 1 tsp jaggery
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- ½ tsp urad dhal
- ½ tsp methi seeds
- ⅛ tsp asafoetida (also known as hing or perungayam)
- 6 curry leaves
- 4 tbsp gingelly oil
- salt to taste
For ground paste:
- 6 dry red chilied
- 2 Kashmiri red chilies
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp raw rice
- 1 tbsp grated coconut
Instructions
- Dry roast all the ingredients under "For ground paste" except the grated coconut in a pan.
- Once roasted, add grated coconut and roast for one minute.
- Then, grind into a smooth paste. Add very little water, if needed.
- Add 3 tbsp oil to a pan. Once hot, add mustard seeds, urad dhal, methi seeds and asafoetida.
- Once mustard seeds crackle, add onion and garlic. Saute for 2-3 minutes. The raw smell should fade.
- Add pagarkai and turmeric powder. Saute for 3-4 minutes.
- Add tomatoes and saute for 2-3 minutes until they become soft
- Next, add the ground paste, tamarind extract, salt and curry leaves. Mix well.
- Add water as desired. If you want a thin kulambu, you can add more water. For a thicker kulambu, add very little water.
- Boil the kulambu for 5-7 minutes. Check for salt and spice and adjust as needed.
- Add 1 tbsp of gingelly oil and jaggery. Boil for another 1-2 minutes.
- Serve hot with rice.
