Pavakkai Thokku Recipe | Bittergourd Tomato Curry Recipe | Karela Curry Recipe

Pavakkai Thokku Recipe with Step by Step Photos. This pavakkai thokku is my Mom's favorite recipe. As my Mom was a diabetic patient with high glucose levels, she has to follow strict diet and her breakfast choice was mostly Godhumai Rava Upma Or Godhumai dosa.
I gave her a diet chart to enjoy diabetic recipes in a yummy and healthier way. But she prefers simple godhumai rava upma for breakfast, as upma are easy and quick to make. That too if, she has this thokku in hand, then her breakfast was mostly godhumai upma or godhumai dosa(another easy and simple recipe).

Mom makes thokku in a slightly different way without tamarind and more tomatoes. After watching this recipe on a tv show I shared the recipe to her and from first try itself she liked it and she used to make pavakkai thokku this way every time.  This Pavakkai Thokku pairs well with Godhumai Rava Upma, Ragi Adai, Idli/Dosa and plain rice too.

Pavakkai Thollu Recipe

Prep Time :  15 Minutes | Cook Time :  20 Minutes

Recipe Category : Side Dish | Recipe Cuisine : Indian

Serves   4-5

Ingredients

1. Pavakkai / Bittergourd     2 no.(finely chopped)
2. Onion   1 big, finely chopped
3. Tomato   2 no. (finely chopped)
4. Garlic   5 cloves(finely chopped)
5. Curry leaves  1 twig
6. Tamarind   small lime size (soak n extract the tamarind juice)
7. Jaggery   1 tsp(optional)
8. Chilli powder  2 tsp
9. Coriander powder  1+ 1/2 tsp
10. Turmeric powder  1/4 tsp
11. Salt  to taste

To Temper

1. Oil/Sesame Oil   3-4 Tbsp
2. Mustard Seeds   1/2 tsp
3. Urad dal   1 tsp
4. Hing   1/4 tsp

Method

• Heat oil in a kadai, when it is hot add mustard  seeds, cumin seeds and urad dal fry till light brown.
• Add chopped karela and curry leaves, turmeric powder and sprinkle some salt.
• Fry bittergourd nicely for about 5 minutes .
• And add finely chopped onions, garlic and fry till it get translucent
• Now add chopped tomatoes saute for a minute then add chilli powder and coriander powder and mix well
• Saute nicely till the tomatoes becomes mushy and leaves oil.
• Then add tamarind juice and required salt .
• Close the lid and let them boil for another 2-3 minutes, then add the jaggery, mix well and cook for another 2 minutes .
• Finish it with adding few curry leaves.
• Pavakkai thokku is ready and serve it with plain rice, Idli/Dosa, and Chapathi.

Notes:

You can also add 1 tsp Sambar Powder to the above recipe for additional flavor and taste.

If cooking for diabetic people, then skip jaggery and increase 1/2 of onion and 1 tomato extra.

This thokku stays good for 10 days or more in refrigerator.

Use of sesame oil is recommended. You can skip garlic too.

Step By Step Recipe :
First heat oil in a kadai, add the tempering ingredients and fry well. After that add bittergourd, turmeric powder pinch of salt and saute for 5 minutes or until it turns brown and fry well.

Then add finely chopped garlic, onions and saute nicely. Then add tomato and saute until it is soft.

And then add chilli and coriander powder and mix well. Then add extracgted tamarind juice, enough salt for the thokku and bring it to boil.

Cook in medium heat until oil floats in top.

that's it...Tasty pavakkai thokku ready.