Tempeh-Stuffed Bittergourd

Bitter gourd is another favorite of mine, which is an acquired taste for many, thanks to its -- er, bitterness.

Indian bitter gourd is about 5 inches long and deeply ridged with a darkish green skin. Chinese bitter melon is about 7 inches long, or even 8 inches, with thicker flesh and lighter color and milder flavor, still quite bitter, of course. I like both varieties, and each lends itself well to certain types of dishes, as in the many bitter gourd and bitter melon recipes shared here.

Tempeh, fermented soy beans, lends itself to many interesting additions. Here, it is sauteed with onions and spices and used as a stuffing for Indian bitter gourd.

Bitter gourd is gently slit and the seeds are carefully removed first, then par cooked in boiling salted water before stuffing and pan-cooking.

Ingredients
1 cup crumbled or diced tempeh
½ tsp cumin powder
½ tsp coriander powder
¼ tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp freshly grated ginger

4 Indian bitter gourd
1 Tbsp tamarind paste (sold as Sour Soup base in Asian stores)
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 cup vegetable broth
salt to taste

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

Preparation

1. Heat some oil in a pan, add the tempeh and the spices with a splash of broth, cover and cook the filling
2. Meanwhile, slit, remove the seeds, and par cook the bitter gourd in boiling salted water till slightly tender; drain and pat dry
3. Stuff the slit par-cooked bitter gourd with the spiced tempeh mix
4. Stir the tamarind paste, remaining broth, and brown sugar and keep handy for basting
5. Heat some oil in a cast iron skillet, place the stuffed bitter gourd, add the basting liquid from the previous step, cover and cook till bitter gourd is softer and has absorbed the flavors from the liquid
6. Remove the lid and continue to cook if a crispy bottom is preferred

Spicy Bitter Melon Curry with Fenugreek and Szechuan Peppercorns

Indian Bitter gourd and Chinese Bitter melon are oft-relished veggies at home. Having offered it to kids since they were little, both seem to like bitter gourd and bitter melon, especially as chips. Healthful properties of this supremely bitter vegetable is no secret in India, where many regional recipes showcase this green beauty.

This time, the flavors come from toasted Szechuan peppercorns and fenugreek seeds, along with other curry staples. After toasting the peppercorns, put it through a sieve to remove the husks before using.

Health benefits of fenugreek is also quite well-accepted in India, where the cuisine naturally incorporates it in many everyday dishes. Just ½ tsp of fenugreek seeds, soaked overnight, drained and rinsed in the morning and eaten on an empty stomach is a habit I had going for a while, and still do on and off but not as regularly as I'd like, being too forgetful with old age and all.

Served with a side of pearl millet, this is a hearty weekend brunch.

Ingredients
1 Thinly sliced red onions
2 medium bitter melon, cleaned and sliced
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp turmeric powder
salt to taste
cilantro for garnish

Spice Mix:
1 Tbsp Szechuan Peppercorns, toasted
1 tsp Fenugreek seeds, toasted

Masala paste/gravy:
2 Tbsp Tamarind
1 Tomato, chopped
1 cup diced yellow or red onions
6 cloves of garlic
1 Tbsp fresh grated ginger

Preparation

1. Soak the sliced bitter melon in salted water and let it sit while preparing the spices
2. Masala paste: Grind up the paste and keep handy
3. Spice mix: toast the peppercorns and fenugreek seeds, put it through a spice grinder and sift to remove the shell-like husks
4. Heat the oil in a pan and sauté the sliced onions with a pinch of salt and turmeric powder
5. Add in the masala paste and saute some more till the rawness of onions mellows down; then stir in the spice mix powder and sauté some more
6. Drain the bitter melon, rinse well, pat dry, and add it to the pan, stir in enough water to make a gravy, cover and simmer on medium low heat till bitter melon is cooked through
7. Adjust salt to taste, garnish with cilantro and serve warm with roti or quinoa or millet

Three Ways to Enjoy Ground Cherries aka Husk Cherries aka Cape Gooseberries

The jaded adult that I've become, I have a general idea of what will arrive in my CSA basket each week, depending on the month; and just nod approvingly when my expectations are met.

However, every once in a while, I forget that there are some special gems that come in the CSA basket. Like, these "Ground Cherries" or "Husk Cherries", which are not cherries at all, of course.

Orange pearls inside an Oyster-Lantern!

Generously sweet with a hint of tropical fruit blend, these sprightly cousins of  the more common tomatillos are a treat to be relished.

Known by alluring names like "Cape Gooseberries" and "Poha Berries" these Ground Cherries seemed like the perfect thing to try out some fun recipes while gearing up for Fall and bidding farewell to Summer.

Ground Cherries Relish

When something comes so naturally sweet, it lends itself well for quick-cooking relishes and chutneys. This Ground Cherries Relish recipe balances sweet, sour, and spicy, just the way I prefer it.

Some Lemon Drop chilies were ripe in the garden. They start out the usual green and  then turn into this gorgeous bright yellow. Plus some ripe red Thai super chilies were handy. A couple of mini orange bell peppers came into the mix. All in all, a rainbow of colors (minus the ever-challenging blue, of course) thanks to the purple onions.

Top a slice of crusty artisan bread with a generous spoonful of this ground cherries relish for a satisfying fall snack. Or, add a dollop to a warm bowl of kedgeree or porridge. Even simply dip favorite wheat crackers in the relish and enjoy.

Ground Cherries Relish

¼ cup apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon lime juice
¼ cup water
1 Tbsp brown sugar
minced red onions
1 mini red bell pepper chopped
1 mini orange bell pepper chopped
1 or 2 minced lemon drop chilies
1 or 2 minced thai red chilies
1 cup Ground/Husk cherries, husked & washed
salt to taste

Saute the onions, bell peppers, and chilies; then add the cider vinegar, lime juice, and water, allow to simmer gently; toss in the cherries and cook till the relish thickens to a spreadable or scoop-able consistency. Allow to cool and store in fridge for up to a week.

Ground Cherries and Bitter Melon Sambar

Very much like my usual Bittermelon Sambar, to which I added some Ground Cherries to give it a boost.

As these are delicate fruits, they disintegrate in the sambar if simmered for too long, so, I toss some in towards the end and cook it long enough to meld the flavors while the ground cherries still retain their shape.

Ground Cherries and Asian Pears Salsa Fresca

The Asian pear tree in the backyard was weighed down with low-hanging fruits this year. Since they sort of skip a year and can be temperamental depending on the degree of neglect I subject them to, I was thankful for the fruits we got this year.

Being sweetish, with a crisp crunch, Asian pears are perfect to snack on. I make pear sauce out of it and can it for later. Birds and wasps and hornets get to these juicy fruits before we do usually, but, since the branches typically get weighed down with fruits, it seems all of us creatures get our share.

For this Ground Cherry and Asian Pear Salsa Fresca, I went with what's readily available in the garden:
Asian pears
Lemon drop chilies
Onions, and onion shoots
Cherry tomatoes
Tomatillos
Red bell peppers
Plus, Ground Cherries, of course

A sprinkling of salt,  a generous dash of McCormick's Original Taco Seasoning, a few drops of lime juice, a splash of Apple cider vinegar, and a driblet of Olive oil is all it takes to get this bowlful of Salsa Fresca.

Serve it along with Pan-seared Yelloweye or Herb-Almond-encrusted Halibut Fingers. Or, simply wrap it in crisp lettuce leaf and enjoy a quick and satisfying snack. Stir it in with Angel Hair pasta along with some feta for that virtually-Greek al fresco kind of dining experience. Add it to pancake batter and make some savory pancakes oozing with flavor. I enjoyed it with Dosai and even Verum Arisi Adai recently.

Bitter Gourd Bean Bites

Sometimes  recipes come about because I am trying to use up bits and pieces, odds and ends, from the fridge before it is beyond salvaging.

About half a cup of slow-cooked spicy beans and one large bitter melon were ignoring each other in the fridge. So, I decided to bring them together in this dish.

Instead of the beans, can use any leftovers like ground meat or mashed potatoes or even herbed goat cheese and feta.

Ingredients

½ cup slow-cooked flavorful black beans or pinto beans

1 large bitter melon

1 Tablespoon tamarind concentrate (sold as Sour Soup Mix in Asian stores)

1 Tablespoon chopped chipotle in adobo sauce

1 Tablespoon brown sugar

salt to taste

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil or olive oil

Cilantro and toasted sesame seeds for garnish

Preparation:

1. Cut the bitter melon lengthwise in half, scoop out the pulpy innards with seeds, chop into bite-sized pieces, sprinkle some salt and allow to sit on a towel to drain for about 10 minutes
2. Pre-heat the oven to 425°F
3. Arrange the bitter melon pieces on a greased roasting pan; add a drop each of tamarind concentrate and adobo sauce chipotle; sprinkle some brown sugar and salt
4. Bake in the 425°F oven for about 12 minutes
5. Remove from heat, add a dollop of the bean-filling on each piece and cook for about another 4 to 5 minutes, turn off the oven
6. Top with cheese if preferred and return it to the oven for the cheese to melt (with the oven off, the residual heat is enough to melt the cheese)
7. Garnish and serve warm

Bitter Gourd Scallion Cutlets with Cilantro Kale Pumpkin Seed Pesto

Cold, wet winter days are here. Soups, dampers, casseroles, cutlets, fritters, fresh off the oven or pan, seem to be the remedy to beat the chill.

Salting and sweating the bitter melon, then sautéing the finely chopped bitter melons until well done and slightly mushy, helped remove much of the bitterness for these savory cutlets. Optionally, mash in cooked potatoes, carrots, peas to mask the bitterness.

Cooking on a hot cast iron skillet crisped up the outsides a bit more than I was aiming for, but, it turned out just fine anyway.

I went with raw green pumpkin seeds this time, but, toasted pumpkin seeds work just as well for the pesto. A combination of Cilantro, Kale, Parsley makes a fantastic pesto.


Bitter Gourd Cutlets/Patties
½ large bitter melon, salted, drained, rinsed and chopped finely
¼ red onions finely diced
1 jalapeño or serrano chili diced finely
spring onions chopped
¼ cup chickpea flour
¼ cup rice flour
¼ cup buckwheat flour
¼ cup cream of wheat
¼ cup quick cooking oats
a few teaspoons of water as needed to make dough
salt to taste

Preparation

1. Finely chop the salted, drained, rinsed bitter melon, chili, and red onions
2. Heat oil in a pan and sauté the veggies till cooked through and a bit mushy, adding a bit of water as needed
3. Off heat, stir in the flours, cream of wheat, oats, salt to make a dough that can be shaped into patties, adding a bit of water if needed
4. Heat a few teaspoons of oil in a cast iron skillet to medium high heat
5. Cook the cutlets/patties till cooked through on the inside
6. Serve warm with Cilantro Kale Pumpkin Seed Pesto

Cilantro Kale Pumpkin Seed Pesto
½ cup chopped packed cilantro
½ cup finely chopped kale
¼ cup raw pumpkin seeds
2 Tbsp roasted sunflower seeds
1 jalapeño, chopped
salt to taste
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
1 Tbsp lemon juice (adjust to taste)

Combine the ingredients and grind to a fine paste. Adjust salt to taste.

Sauteed Bitter Melon and Okra

Served with roti or steaming basmati rice and ghee, this is a simple yet wholesome dish.

Slice the bitter melon and salt it and let it stand for 20 minutes; then, drain, rinse and cook as below.

Ingredients
1 Chinese bitter melon (Fu Gwa), sliced
2 cups chopped okra
1 medium bell pepper, chopped
1 small red onion, diced
1 Tbsp Garam masala powder OR Madras curry powder
salt to taste
2 Tbsp canola oil

Heat oil in a pan, and saute till desired doneness

Bittermelon Carrot Spicy Curry

Chinese bittermelon and Indian bittergourd feature frequently in my kitchen.While the adults in the house love it, the kids are still reluctant to embrace it fully. But then, I was not an early embracer myself and I think constant presence of it in my diet over the formative years helped me develop the taste for it. So, I hope to keep getting the kids to try it every time I make it.

Served warm with roti, dosai, rice, or even rice noodles, this Bittermelon Carrot Spicy Curry is quite versatile and flexible. Adjust chilies to taste.

Ingredients
2 Serrano chilies sliced thin on a bias (seeded if preferred)
1 medium onion, sliced thin
4 bittermelons sliced thin
1 large carrot, sliced thin on a bias
3 Tablespoon tomato paste
1 Tablespoon crushed fresh garlic
1 Tablespoon coriander seeds
1 Tablespoon caraway seeds
1 Tablespoon cumin seeds
1 Tablespoon fennel seeds
3 dry red chilies
1 tablespoon lemon juice (or tamarind juice)
1 teaspoon coarse cane sugar
salt to taste
2 Tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
water as needed

Preparation

1. Salt the cut bittermelon and let it stand in a towel-lined colander for about 10-15 minutes to draw out the bitter juices; then squeeze the moisture out and keep handy
2. Toast the coriander, cumin, caraway, fennel seeds, dry red chilies, and grind them to a fine powder
3. Heat oil in a pan, add the onions, garlic, chilies, tomato paste, and the powdered spices and saute till aromatic
4. Add the bittermelon and carrots, a splash of water and lemon/tamarind juice, cover and cook till bittermelon is done
5. Remove the lid, stir in the cane sugar and adjust salt to taste, and saute till thickened to desired consistency
6. Serve warm with roti or rice

Sweet Sour Spicy Bitter Melon, Eggplant, Bell Peppers

I had half each of bitter melon, long eggplant, red and green bell peppers and decided to make a sweet-sour-spicy dish. It can be served with warm jasmine rice or even simple roti or naan. The picture shows it served with a small portion of chicken breast per the Other Half's request.

I salted the bitter melon for 10 minutes; rinsed and patted dry; then par-cooked in the microwave.

For the sweet-sour-spicy sauce:
2 tbsp sambal oelek
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 teaspoon tamarind paste
1 tbsp mirin

Stir the sauce ingredients. Adjust to taste as preferred. Heat some oil in a caste iron skillet, add the veggies, saute; add the sauce stir well and cook till desired doneness of the veggies. I like them crisp-tender.

Stuffed Bitter Melon

Bitter melon aka bitter gourd is a favorite with the adults in the house. The standard bittergour pitlay, tamarind flavored crunchy bitter melon, pan-fried, oven-baked, bitter gourd sesame pachadi... so many ways to enjoy this fairly bitter fruit.

Here, the fairly large Chinese Fu-gwa is stuffed with some flavored Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP).

Cut the bitter melon in half lengthwise and remove the seeds and pulp. Salt it and let it sit for about 10 minutes. Par cook it with some water in the microwave till just tender but still holding shape. Drain and pat dry.

Prepare the stuffing: Saute some onions and red bell peppers with favorite herbs and spices, add some TVP and just enough water to cook through.

Fill the bitter melon halves with stuffing and bake in a 425°F for about 10 minutes. Serve warm, garnished with cilantro and spring onions.

Tamarind Flavored Crunchy Roasted Bitter Melon

Almond + Flax meal being a favorite alternative to bread crumbs, many dishes come into existence just because a thought popped into my head about combining a few favorites...

Bitter melon (Chinese Fu Gwa) is a cucumber-shaped fruit which has a lighter skin and thicker flesh than the Indian bitter gourd which is typically smaller, darker, more ridged and textured and quite intensely bitter.

I like bitter melon for some dishes and bitter gourd for some others.

To reduce the bitterness, salt the chopped bitter melon and leave them on a towel to drain for about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the almond meal as in Almond + Flax meal encrusted chicken nuggets recipe.

I like the concentrated goodness of tamarind in this rich dark Tamicon™ tamarind paste and I use it in many Indian recipes. Alternately, for a milder tamarind flavor, try the Vietnamese Sour Soup Base sold in most Asian stores.

The sourness from tamarind and sweetness from agave nectar, combined with the crunchiness from the almond meal makes this a wonderful side for an Indian meal of brown rice and pippili rasam.

Ingredients
1 or 2 bitter melon, Chinese Fu Gwa
½ Tbsp Tamicon™ Tamarind paste
½ Tbsp Blue Agave nectar
salt to taste
1 Tbsp oil

Preparation

1. Pre-heat the oven to 400°F
2. Chop the bitter melon into rings (remove pulp and seeds) and sprinkle salt on them and lay them out in a single layer on a towel for 15 minutes; rinse and drain; then, toss them with tamarind and agave nectar and par cook them in the microwave - still firm, not mushy, but turns translucent
3. Press the par-cooked bitter melon rings into the almond+flax meal mixture
4. Lay them out on a greased pan in a single layer, drizzle or mist some oil on top
5. Bake in a 400°F oven for about 12-15 minutes, checking part-way and turning the pan if needed

Remove from oven and serve warm with a favorite dipping sauce. I love it as-is. Even got the kids to try it. 

Sweet, Sour and Spicy Bittergourd

I grew up with a regular dose of bittergourd, cooked up in a few different ways that my mom liked, and have grown to relish it more as an adult. For this Sweet, Sour and Spicy Bittergourd recipe, I prefer the Indian bittergourd.

Indian bittergourd has deep ridged skin, darkish green color, about five inches long usually, and is a lot more bitter (to my palate at least) than the Chinese Fu Gwa and Hong Kong Bitter Melon I've used extensively over the last decade here.

Cut, clean and slice the bittergourd, salt it and allow to sit for about 30 minutes to draw out the bitter juices. Wash, drain and pat dry before cooking it up.

Ingredients
6 Indian bittergourd, cleaned and sliced
6 jalapeños, seeded and sliced
¼ cup fresh ginger, julienned

3 Tbsp tamarind concentrate (sold as Sour Soup base in Asian markets)
1 tsp red hot chili powder or Cayenne pepper powder
1 Tbsp brown sugar
salt to taste
water as needed
1 tsp vegetable oil

Preparation

1. Heat the oil in a pan, add the ginger, bittergourd and  jalapeños, some salt, and sauté a bit till ginger is aromatic
2. Add the tamarind concentrate, chili powder, brown sugar, some water, cover and allow to cook on medium low heat till bittergourd is cooked through, adding a little water at a  time as needed to keep it fairly dry, not saucy
3. Stir well and taste for balance of sour-sweet-spicy, adding more of these flavors as preferred
4. Serve warm with hot basmati rice and home-made ghee, or with roti/naan

Hong Kong Bitter Melon Stuffed and Braised

Now that we've found an Asian market that sells Hong Kong Bitter Melon on and off, I've been favoring them to the usual Fu Gwa and Indian Bittergourd. Its milder flavor and thick flesh makes it more versatile than its other two cousins in my book.

The Braised and Stuffed Bitter Melon recipe here is based on the popular Chinese version which uses minced pork for stuffing. I went with a vegetarian stuffing of fragrant Jasmine rice cooked with rich flavors coming from onions, garlic, chilies, tamarind, mint, with a hint of brown sugar.

Ingredients
2 Hong Kong Bitter Melons, cleaned and cut as before into 2-inch rings

3 to 4 cups Tamarind Sauce as shared in the Hong Kong Bitter Melon 65 recipe

2 Tbsp canola oil

For the Stuffing:
2 cups cooked Jasmine rice
1 medium onion finely diced
4-6 cloves of garlic minced
3-6 mint leaves finely chopped
1 Tbsp brown sugar (optional)
½ cup rich Tamarind Sauce
salt to taste

Preparation

1. Stuffing: heat the oil in a pan, sauté the onions and garlic, add the chopped mint, cooked rice, some salt, about ½ cup water and the tamarind sauce; allow to simmer together at medium-low heat, stirring frequently; The rice gets gooey and thick, light brownish anf flavorful; taste and adjust salt; add a hint brown sugar if preferred
2. Bitter Melon: Blanch the 2-inch rings of cleaned bitter melon, pat dry and keep handy for stuffing
3. Stuffing and Braising: Heat oil in a pan; fill each blanched bitter melon ring with the stuffing; place it in the hot pan; sear the bottom and allow to sit for a few minutes; add a little of the tamarind sauce, cover, allow to cook at low heat; when most of the tamarind sauce is gone, add a little more, cover and continue cooking; repeat till bitter melon is softer but not mushy and still holds shape when lifted out of the pan
4. Serving: Arrange them in a plate, spoon some of the Tamarind sauce over and serve warm or cold

Hong Kong Bitter Melon Gourd 65

Studies over the years record the anti-diabetic and other wonderful properties of bitter gourd/bitter melon (Momordica charantia) and yet it remains one of the not-so-easily-incorporated foods in daily diet. Possibly its strong bitter taste and lack of versatility are the reasons, along with not-easily-available.

So far I've primarily cooked with two varieties of bitter gourd/bitter melon - the dark skinned, pronouncedly ridged, smaller Indian variety, and the larger, lighter green, smoother-skinned Chinese Fu Gwa. They each have their distinct taste and lend themselves to many dishes that I have shared here.

This time, a third variety - Hong Kong Bitter Melon - was available at the nearby Asian market, inspiring me to cook it in a not-before-cooked way - at least not-before-cooked in my kitchen.

Hong Kong Bitter Melon has beautiful light green skin, smooth with gentle ridges, thick flesh and very mild bitter flavor. Which makes it more versatile in my book.

Inspired by the Cauliflower 65 recipe shared a while back, this Hong Kong Bitter Melon 65 recipe turned out to be a delicious new way to enjoy the benefits of this fruit.

The general theory is that 'Anything tastes good when battered and deep-fried'. And, while I am not much for deep-fried foods, the light non-greasy batter-coated fried Hong Kong Bitter Melon 65 turned out to be quite a snack treat one weekend afternoon. Especially when served with the sweet-and-sour Tamarind Sauce.

Ingredients
2 Hong Kong Bitter Melon
1 tsp red chili powder
a few drops of red food color (optional)
1 Tbsp ginger-garlic paste
2 cups rice flour
salt to taste

Canola or vegetable oil for deep frying

For the Tamarind Sauce:
1 tsp Tamicon™ tamarind paste
2 Tbsp brown sugar
salt to taste
optional: finely diced home-garden pearl onions and onion sprouts, home-garden green chilies
5 cups of water

Preparation

1. Tamarind Sauce: Combine the sauce ingredients and bring to a boil, lower heat to medium high and continue to simmer till sauce reduces to about 1 cup; it takes quite a long time to get the most delicious flavor and texture for it so I prefer to start cooking the sauce first; taste and adjust flavors for the sweet-sour balance
2. Hong Kong Bitter Melon: Remove the spongy insides of the bitter melon, slice into rings, salt it an allow to sweat; then drain, pat dry and dust lightly with some rice flour and set aside
3. Heat the oil in a pan for deep frying
4. Batter: Combine the ginger-garlic paste, rice four, salt, chilli powder, food color if using, and any other preferred spices, add a little water at a time to make a smooth batter
5. Dunk the bitter melon rings in the batter and deep fry
6. Serve hot off the frying pan with the richly flavored Tamarind Sauce

Bittergourd in Spicy Tamarind Sauce: Pavakkai Vatthal Kuzhambu

Vatthal Kuzambu (Vatha-kozhambu as we say it at home) is a spicy Tamilian dish made with tamarind-based spicy sauce, using dehydrated (dry) vegetables. Anything sun-dried (the easiest way in India) is a vatthal.

When vegetables are in season I remember my mom sun-drying batches and batches of eggplant slices, tomatoes, citron, and of course the usual vadaams - tapioca+lime+chilies, or rice or urad dal concoctions enjoyed deep-fried once it is dried. Sounds weird, but, it was a way of life. These were 40 °C summer days when wasting all that solar energy felt criminal and families stocked up for those soggy monsoon days when not many vegetable are in season.

The popular ingredient for vatthal kozhambu used to be Chundakkai (Sundakkai - 's' becomes a 'ch' as in chair in my family lingo) - the bitterest thing I have ever tasted and to this day have not developed a taste for, despite loving bitter gourd. A favorite of mine (although my tummy would disagree) is appalam/pappadam vattha- kozhambu - made with dry, un-fried pappadam/appalam.

Anyway, after having my mom's special vattha-kozhambu during my recent visit with my family, I was craving for a bit more of that home-made goodness, so made a slightly non-traditional version of bittergourd vattha-kozhambu.

Now, the name would be misleading, in that it is not dried bitter gourd that I used, but, let's just say it is vattha-kozhambu in spirit, a sort of wanna-be, made with bitter gourd and some other things that I like.

I use Tamicon™ tamarind concentrate usually, which is a thick blackish paste that is intensely sour and can be diluted as needed. But there are liquid tamarind concentrates that are mellow and brownish. Or, if available, use fresh tamarind - just shell it, soak in hot water to extract as much tamarind juice as preferred.

I like the hot-sour-sweet combination, so, I usually add a liberal amount of brown sugar, which, according to my mom is an abomination.

Ingredients
1 large Chinese Fu Gwa bittermelon or 2 small Indian bittergourds
1 small yellow onion
1 large tomato
salt to taste
1 tsp canola oil

for the sauce:
1 Tbsp Tamicon™ tamarind paste
1 Tbsp red hot chili powder
1 Tbsp coriander powder
2 Tbsp brown sugar (more or less)
6 cups water

Preparation

1. Clean the bittergourd by removing the spongy insides, chop into bite-sized pieces; dice the onions and tomatoes as well
2. Heat the oil in a pan, add the vegetables plus a pinch of salt and sauté them for a bit
3. Add the sauce ingredients, stir well, cover and allow to simmer till the sauce reduces in volume by half
4. Taste and adjust flavors; if too spicy or sour, can always add more water, simmer some more; then thicken with rice flour, or corn starch
5. Serve with hot basmati rice, home-made naan or simple rotis

Bittergourd Paruppusili

Since D and I like bitter gourd, I try to cook it up in a few different favorite ways to enjoy. Bitter gourd paruppusili is not very different from other paruppusilis, except the flavoring: tamarind paste, with some brown sugar and chilli powder. The hot-sour-sweet combination goes well with the bitterness.

Ingredients:
1 or 2 medium Foo Gwa or Bitter gourd, cleaned and diced

½ tsp tamarind paste
½ tsp hot chilli powder
1 Tbsp brown sugar
salt, as needed
water, as needed

oil, as needed

tempering: 2 Tbsp oil, 1 tsp mustard seeds, 1tsp cumin seeds (optional)

garnish: curry leaves and cilantro (optional)

steamed and pan fried lentils as in the Kovakkai Paruppisili

Preparation

1. Heat the oil in a pan, add the diced bitter gourd, some water, tamarind, chili powder and brown sugar, salt, cover and simmer till the bitter gourd is cooked though but not mushy
2. Sit in the pan fried lentils, garnish with curry leaves, serve warm with rice and sambar

Bittergourd Sambar

Sambar is a south Indian stew-like dish typically eaten with hot rice.

Sambar can be made with any seasonal vegetable, any combination of them, although my mom would probably dislike certain combination of vegetables - like ash gourd and bitter gourd together, or for that matter pearl onion and cranberries that I like to make on and off during Fall/Winter.

Sambar Powder is the spice mix that flavors this dish. And practically every south Indian family has its own version of the best sambar powder formula which is probably tweaked a bit down the generations. For instance, my mom's traditional sambar powder recipe is a bit different from mine and yet they use pretty much the same base ingredients.



The sambar powder can be made ahead of time in a larger quantity and stored in air tight container much like any other spice powders. Typically, just a couple of tablespoons of the powder is all it takes to make a pot of sambar. Simply dry roast the ingredients till aromatic, allow to cool a bit, grind to smooth powder, and store.

Indian bitter gourd or Chinese Foo Gwa have a distinct bitterness that can be an acquired taste, but has well-documented health benefits. Thanks to my mom making bittergourd sambar and pachadi and deep-fried and pan-fried poduthuval when I was little, I ended up liking it a lot when I "grew up", despite turning up my nose on it then.

Tempering is an integral part of many south Indian dishes, my mother wouldn't dream of serving sambar without it, but, can be omitted here if preferred. Certain dishes start with the tempering first and get layered flavors built as the dish progresses, whereas certain dishes have the tempering as garnish added right at the end when the dish is ready to be served. I prefer adding tempering at the end for sambar, but start off with tempering for poduthuvals and curries.

Ingredients

Sambar Powder spices (this is a slightly non-traditional mix):
1 cup coriander seeds
½ cup dry red chilies(up to 1 cup if preferred fiery and red)
½ cup chana dal
¾ cup toor dal
½ cup fenugreek seeds
2 Tbsp whole black pepper
2 2" piece of chinese/indian cinnamon bark
2-4 dry bay leaves
1 tsp poppy seeds
½ cup dry roasted curry leaves (optional)

For the Sambar:
1 tsp tamarind concentrate (I like Tamicon™ is rich, thick and dark)
6 cups of water
1 large bitter melon, chopped (I like Foo Gwa from Asian stores)
1 large carrot, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 to 3 Tbsp Sambar powder
1 Tbsp brown sugar
salt to taste
1 cup cooked mashed toor dal
Cilantro leaves for garnish

Tempering: 1 Tbsp oil, 1 tsp mustard seeds, 1 tsp urad dal, 3 or 4 fresh curry leaves

Preparation

1. Tempering: Heat oil in a small pan, add urad dal and allow it to turn a mild golden brown, add the mustard seeds and let them pop; cover with a perforated lid if preferred as the mustard seeds will spatter all over when they pop; add the fresh curry leaves, remove from heat and keep aside
2. Combine the sambar ingredients, all except cooked toor dal, cover and simmer till vegetables are cooked but not mushy; stir in the cooked mashed toor dal, adjust salt to taste and simmer for about 5 minutes more over medium low heat
3. Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves and the tempering

Bitter Gourd in Black Sesame Seed Sauce

"Ellu Pachadi" is one of my favorite saucy sides to eat with rice. "Ellu" means Sesame Seeds in Tamil and "Pachadi" is an envelope term that is basically a side dish usually made with yogurt, or tamarind.

The spice mix for this ellu pachadi can be made ahead and it stores well for a few months in the fridge - mainly, since sesame seeds are oily, this mix can get rancid if left out for too long.

I like the ellu pachadi to be a good balance of hot-sour-sweet. The spice mix provides the hot part, brown sugar makes it a bit sweet, and tamarind paste rounds out the sourness. Amount of black peppers and dry red chilies in the spice mix can be adjusted to suit your taste.

Instead of bitter gourd, which can be an acquired taste, ellu pachadi can be made with okra, pumpkin, any type of sweetish winter squash, even with sweet potatoes or yam.

Ingredients
for the spice mix:
¼ cup black sesame seeds
¼ whole black peppers
4-6 dry red chilies
½ cup dry grated coconut

1-2 bitter gourd, cut into thin slices
1 tomato, diced finely (optional)
1-2 Tbsp brown sugar
1- 2 tsp thick tamarind paste
salt to taste
4-6 cups water

1-2 Tbsp rice flour for thickening

tempering: 1 tsp canola oil, 1 tsp mustard seeds, 1 tsp urad dal
garnish: curry leaves and cilantro

Preparation

1. Spice Mix: lightly dry toast the spice mix ingredients, allow to cool a bit and grind to a coarse powder
2. bring the bitter gourd and water to a boil, add tamarind paste and some salt, and let the bitter gourd simmer till a bit soft, but not mushy
3. taste and add brown sugar and spice mix a little at a time to get a good balance of the hot-sour-sweet flavors
4. allow to simmer till bitter gourd is cooked through to your liking
5. mix the rice flour in a few Tbsp of water to make a loose paste and stir it in to thicken the pachadi
6. Tempering: heat the oil in a pan, when it shimmers, add the urad dal, when it turns golden brown, add the mustard seeds and when the mustard seeds pop remove from heat and add to the pachadi
7. garnish with curry leaves and/or cilantro

Serve warm with hot rice, or even with simple roti.

Optionally, serve with turmeric rice as pictured above - heat some oil, add some turmeric and allow it to bloom a bit, then off heat stir in the rice to coat with the yellow turmeric uniformly. Start with maybe 1 tsp of turmeric powder for 2 cups of cooked rice; add more turmeric if preferred.

Stuffed Whole Fried Baby Indian Bittergourd

Bittergourd is usually an acquired taste. I wasn't particularly fond of it when I was young, but, over the years, having tried it in several different cooked forms, I like it enough now to make it part of my regular diet.

I prefer the Chinese bittermelon Fu-gwa to the Indian bittergourd as it is cooks faster - especially the light green waxy kind I can find easily at the local Asian stores. But, certain dishes are best with the Indian bittergourd - like this fried baby bittergourd recipe. The flavors are absorbed better in the Indian bitter gourd, especially the tamarind.

Bittergourd sambar, bittergourd pitlay, bittergourd curry are a few easy ways in which I relish this vegetable, and Chinese bittermelon is a good substitute in these dishes.

Every once in a while, if I manage to find tender, young Indian bittergourd, I like to cook it up as in this recipe, and serve it as an appetizer, snack or side.

The recipe is very simple: slit them, salt the insides and outsides, leave it on a paper towel for about 15-20 minutes to release the bitter juices and then pat dry; stuff it with favorite spice mix; deep fry; serve with favorite chutney.

Alternately, instead of deep frying,  pan-fry in a cast iron skillet, covered. To ensure that bittergourd is cooked through, I usually par-cook in the microwave before pan-frying in the cast iron skillet. If the slit is too open, tie a piece of string across to hold the stuffing in while cooking; remove the string before serving.

Baby Indian bittergourd usually doesn't have a lot of seeds, and the innards are spongy and soft. They are usually about 4 inches long. It takes a bit of trial and error to figure out how to buy the best tender baby bittergourd.

The masala paste I used for this recipe is very simple - just a blend of tamarind-date chutney, brown sugar, cumin powder and coriander powder, chilli powder and a pinch of salt. But, any other favorite stuffing like mashed potatoes, or potatoes and peas or any other flavoring spices can be used.

Keep the stuffed bitter gourd fairly dry before deep frying to avoid explosions - I usually just pat dry with paper towel, wipe off any excess masala paste, and use a splatter-proof lid while deep frying. Also, tie with twine if the stuffing makes the bitter gourds not close up tight again.

Pan Fried Pavakkai Bitter gourd

Pavakkai is bitter gourd, in Tamil. It used to be one of my least favorite ones despite my dad extolling its virtues (antido­tal, antipyretic tonic, appetizing, stomachic, antibilious and laxative) in the health department. Not sure when exactly it happened, but around the time I "grew up", I started appreciating pavakkai more, and these days am so glad D loves it too, so I get to make it as often as I want :)

Bitter gourd, or bitter melon, that I have used so far are of two types:
1. small, dark green with pronounced ridges and bitterness
2. larger, light green, relatively smooth skin and mildly bitter

I cook each in different ways - the smaller one is good for stuffing and frying, the bigger one is good in sambar or pan-fried as a side dish in this recipe. The pronounced bitterness doesn't blend well with other vegetables to my liking.

Ingredients
1 - 2 large green bitter melon (Fu Gwa)
2 - 3 Tbsp canola oil
1 Tbsp dry red chili powder
1 Tbsp coriander powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp lemon juice
salt to taste

tempering: 1 Tbsp canola oil, 1 tsp mustard seeds, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 3-4 curry leaves

Preparation

chop the ends off, scoop out the innards^* and slice the pavakkai into rings; salt it and let it sit for about 10 minutes; drain, pat dry
^*If it helps, here's how I usually do it: I cut them into roughly 3-inch pieces, and insert my vegetable peeler or a spoon into the central pulp and rotate it like I am juicing a lemon, trying not to tear the flesh apart to scoop out the innards:)

tempering: heat oil in a pan, when shimmering add the mustard seeds and when they pop add the cumin seeds and curry leaves, then add the powdered spices, stir a little to let the spices bloom

add the sliced pavakkai, brown sugar, some salt, a few tablespoons of water, cover and let it sweat and cook a little; then remove the lid, turn up the heat and pan fry till done, adding a little more oil if needed; off heat stir in lemon juice

Serve warm with basmati rice and ghee, or rasam, or mor-kozhambu.

This Pan-fried Pavakkai is my 'P' dish for lovely Nupur's A to Z of Indian Vegetables event.