Bitter Gourd Curry (Haaglkai Gojju)

This one of our house hold favorites. A gojju, as we call it in Karnataka, India, is a sweet sour and hot thick broth which we eat with steaming hot rice. There are a wide variety of gojjus, this is just one of them.  I remember the time my mom used to cook this and we finishing it within the blink of an eye. A perfect blend of sweet, sour, hot and bitterness. It will certainly tantalize your taste buds. Good to serve with steaming hot rice, can also go with roti (Indian Flat bread). To make it diet food use lesser oil...

Prep time: 10 - 15 minutes

Cooktime: 30 to 45 minutes

Servings: about 4

Ingredients:

1. Bitter Gourd - 5 small or 3 meduim (make sure they are not very ripe, younger the better). Slice them into rounds, not too thin not too thick about 1/4 cm approx

2. Onion - 1 big or 2 medium

3. Ginger - 1/2 an inch piece grated.

4. Garlic - 2 to 3 pods.

5. Salt - to taste

6. chilli/cayenne powder - to taste.

7. *Rasam Powder - 1 tsp (optional)

8. Jaggery - 1 to 1 and 1/2 block

9. Corriander/Cilantro - 1/2 bunch finely chopped.

10. Tamarind paste - 1 to 2 tsp

For Tempering:

1. Oil - 4 to 5 tbsp

2. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

3. Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

4. Turmeric - 1/4 tsp

5. Asafoetida powder - 1/4 tsp

6. Curry Leaves - 1 string

Method:

1. Heat oil in a thick bottomed pan or in a non stick pan.

2. Add the sliced bitter gourd and a little salt, saute them till they turn slightly golden brown and are completely cooked. After they are cooked, remove them from oil and drain then on paper towels.

3. Make tempering with the oil in the pan as follows, add mustard seeds, after most of them splutter, add cumin seeds, turmeric, asafoetida and curry leaves.

4. Now add the onions and let it get slightly brown.

5. Add ginger garlic grated or ginger garlic paste and saute for a few seconds till well blended.

6. Now add chilli/cayenne powder and rasam powder and saute for a few seconds.

7. Add Tamarind paste and mix tit wellthen add about 1/4 cup of water.

8. Add the jaggery and let it melt completely.

9. Add the fried bitter gourd to the cooking mixture, add salt and add about 1/2 cup of water and put a lid on the pan to let it cook well for about 15 minutes. Please add more water for the thickness you desire. Gojju is ready to eat.

Tips:

If you want to avoid eating onion, ginger and garlic then you may omit them from this procedure and continue making gojju. If you are omitting them, please try to add some fresh or dry coconut scrapings , it will add very good taste to the dish.

* look in glossary.