Bittergourd Pulusu

Ingredients: 

• Bittergourd- 2 (karela/ kakarakaya)
• Onion- 1 medium thinly sliced
• Tamarind- 1/4 cup (washed and soaked in 1 cup water)
• Jaggery- <1/8 cup (reduce/ increase the quantity as per taste) 
• Green chili- 1-2 slit 
• Salt- 1 tsp 
• Red chili powder- 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric powder- 1/8 tsp

For Tempering:

• Oil- 1 tsp+ 1 tsp
• Mustard seeds- 1/4 tsp
• Fenugreek seeds- 1/4 tsp (Methi)
• Cumin seeds- 1/4 tsp (Jeera)
• Dry red chilies- 2 broken into pieces
• Asafoetida- 1/8 tsp (Hing)

Method: 

1. Wash and chop the bitter gourd into small pieces. Soak tamarind in a cup of water. 
2. Add 1 tsp oil to a small pan and fry the bitter gourd pieces until soft. Keep stirring in between. 
3. Then add sliced onions to the same pan and cook until they are transparent.
4. Meanwhile, squeeze tamarind and get maximum flavor into the water. 
5. Place a dish on the stove and add the tamarind water. Keep the heat in medium. 
6. To it, add the cooked bitter gourd and onion pieces. 
7. Next add salt, chili powder, turmeric, jaggery. Mix well. 
8. Prepare the tempering. 
9. Add 1 tsp oil to a tempering pan and add mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, cumin, dry red chilies. As the mustard seeds splutter add asafoetida and turn off the heat. 
10. Add the tempering to the cooking pulusu. 
11. Reduce the heat to simmer. Mix occasionally.
12. Cook for 5-10 minutes. The consistency should not be too liquidy. 
13. Turn off the heat. 
14. Serve with rice, roti, parantha, etc
15. It stays good an entire day. 
16. Prepare in the morning and serve for lunch and dinner.