Bitter gourd Tamarind Rasam / Pavakkai Puli Rasam

 
        Day 7, final day of Blogging Marathon under the theme "Rasam" . I really had fun doing this BM with all my fellow bloggers and i would like to thank Valli for organizing such a group everymonth with different n interesting themes. I got to know more new friends through this BM and really this group was too friendly and helping. I enjoyed this rasam theme a lot n happy that i got so good comments for my recipes too. In the line, today's rasam is really a healthy and tangy Rasam with Bittergourd. We usually make puli rasam with only Tamarind and add more cumin-pepper-garlic. And i came to remember about my mom's Bittergourd/Pavakkai rasam. Being diabetic daily she use to have bittergourd in her diet. And sometimes she makes this bittergourd rasam by steaming the bittergourd pieces in idly plates and add it to the rasam. But i tweaked her recipe and made a very very good rasam less in bitterness n more tasty than her version :) Yes, this wan't much bitter i enjoyed sipping the hot rasam and had a filling lunch with Ridgegourd curry,Vazhakkai fry n this bittergourd rasam.

Ingredients

1. Bittergourd   1 no.(washed n thinly sliced)
2. Tamarind    1 gooseberry sized piece soak in 1/2 cup warm water for atleast 20 minutes.
3. Tomato   1 small
4. Turmeric powder    1/4 tsp
5. Cilantro    2 tbsp(chopped)
6. Jaggery   1/4 tsp(powdered)
7. Salt    to taste
8. Oil     2 tsp
9. Mustard seeds    1/2 tsp
10. Curry leaves    1 sprig
11. Dry Red chilli   2-3 no.s
12. Hing   1/4 tsp

To coarsely grind /crush

1. Cumin seeds / Jeera    2 tsp
2. Pepper corns   1/2 tsp
3. Garlic    3 cloves

Method

• Wash and thinly slice the bittergourd and add it to a microwave safe bowl, then sprinkle little water n salt. Then microwave it for 2 minutes.
• Once done remove from the oven and keep aside until use.

• Extract tamarind juice, chop tomato and mix well. Coarsely grind pepper-cumin-garlic n keep ready.

• Heat oil in a skillet, add mustard seeds wait till it pop, then add curry leaves, hing, red chilli and stir well.
• Then add ground pepper-jeera mixture and fry for a minute.

Now add the bittergourd slices,turmeric powder and saute for 1-2 minutes. Then add 1/2 cup water and bring this to boil and

• Then add, tamarind juice, mashed tomato,Jaggery and enough salt and give a nice stir.
• Cook covered in medium heat until the rasam turns frothy n starts boiling.

• Once it starts boiling turn off the stove n add 2tbsp of water n cilantro leaves and leave it set for few more minutes.
• That's it....Healthy Tangy Bitter gourd Puli Rasam ready.

 Notes:
Do not allow to boil the rasam for long time, not only for this rasam for any kind of rasam, should not be boiled too long. Just turn off once it forms frothy n starts boiling at one end.
And after once you turn off the stove, leave rasam in stove it self for some time so that the flavors blend well. Then u add it to the serving bowl.
This puli rasam tastes good next day also.
You can skip bitter gourd n make it as plain Tamarind rasam also.


Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#13