Sesame Bitter Gourd Pachadi/பாகற்காய் எள்ளு பச்சடி

Sesame Bitter Gourd Pachadi is a yummy, tasty and healthy dish. This tangy and spicy pachadi is the perfect combination with steamed rice.

Sesame seeds add a nutty taste and a delicate, almost invisible, crunch to many Asian dishes. The scientific name for sesame seeds is Sesamun indicum.

Paakharkaai, Pavakkai (Tamil), Pavayka, Kaippakka (Malayalam), Kakara kayi (Telugu), Karelu (Gujarati), Korolla (Bengali), Karle, Karali, Kareti (Marathi), Kalara, Changkha (Oriya), Karela (Urdu & Punjabi)

Bitter gourd or Pavakkai is one vegetable which I think has the fewest takers. Most don’t like it owing to its bitter taste.

But it is packed with many health benefits. Also, when cooked in the right way using the right ingredients most of the bitterness can be masked.
Ingredients

Chopped Bitter Gourd – ¼ kg

Chopped Onion – 1 (Big)

Chopped Tomato – 1 (small)

Turmeric Powder – 1 tsp

Chilli Powder – 1 tsp

Sesame Seeds – 2 tsp

Salt to taste

Turmeric – a small piece (Soaked)

Chopped Mint Leaves – few

To Garnish

Chopped Coriander Leaves – few

To Temper

Mustard Seeds – 1 tsp

Dry Red Chilli – 2

Hing – a pinch

Curry Leaves - few

Oil – 3 tsp

Method

Soak tamarind in hot water and let it for 20 min. Then extract the juice and keep it aside.

In a bowl add chopped bitter gourd pieces with salt and turmeric powder and toss it well and then let it for 10 to 15 min.

In a pan, heat oil. Add mustard seeds and let it splutter. Then add dry red chilli, hing and curry leaves fry it for few seconds.

Now add chopped onions and saute it well. Once it gets slight changes in color then adds chopped mint leaves.

Now add tossed bitter gourd slices and mix well. Sprinkle some oil on top of it.

Fry this for 5 to 10 min on low flame and add chilli powder & chopped tomato then keep cook on another 3 min.

Then add ½ cup of tamarind water and keep cook on another 5 min on medium flame.

In a pan, dry roast sesame seeds and makes it as fine powder.

Add this into bitter gourd curry and mix well. Then switch off the flame. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Serve this yummy sesame bitter gourd pachadi with hot steamed rice.

Note: As per your taste, you can add jaggery into this dish.