Pavakkai Pitlai

Ingredients required:
Tender karela-medium sized : 4
Tamarind paste                       : 1 teaspoon
Masala to be ground into a paste:
Urad dhal                                 :1 table spoon
channa dhal                           :1 table spoon
Red chillies                           :4/5
Haldi Powder                         One teaspoon
Coconut grated:1 table spoon
Oil                                          :2 teaspoons
Fenugreek roasted powder :little
Mustard seeds :half a teaspoon
Jaggery ,grated or powdered:2 teaspoons.
Cooked Tuvar dhal half a cup.
How to make;

Wash and cut the karelas into medium sized pieces.Add water to the tamarind paste and make thin tamarind water.Add salt,haldi powder,asafotida powder and jaggery to the tamarind water.Add the karela piecesto the tamarind water and cook on low fire on the gas.Jaggery is addd to the tamarind water to remove the bitter taste of the karela.While the karela is cooking,take kadai take one teaspoon of oil and fry the urad dhal,channa dhal and the chillies on low fire slowly.once the dhals are fried into red colour,remove these items from the kadai,now add the grated coconut to the kadai add little oil if required and fry the coconut for just a few seconds.Grind the masalas into a paste adding water.See whether the karelas have cooked by picking out one piece and crushing it between fingers.If extra water is there,strain the water(tamarind).Add the cooked tuvar dhal to the cooked karela pieces,mix thoroughly,while keeping the vessel on low flame,add the ground masala to this mixture,also the fenu greek powder.See the consistency,if water is required add little water.Allow this to boil for two to three minutes.Since the masalas have been fried before too much of boiling is not required.Remove from the stove.Take the remaining oil in a small kadai when the oil is heated add mustard seeds to it .When the mustard seeds crackle add it to the prepared dish.This is Karela Pitlai,South Indians favourite dish.