Kakarkai Kootu

Ingredients
4 large bitter gourds
1 tsp turmeric powder
1-2 tsp powdered jaggery (to taste)
2 tbsp gingely oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
2 sprigs curry leaves
4-6 tbsp coconut gratings
1 small ball of tamarind
salt to taste

Fry in 1 tsp oil and grind to paste
5-6 red chillies
1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
2 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp black gram dal

Method:
1. Wash, de-seed and cut bitter gourd into slices. Sprinkle some salt, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, set aside for about half an hour. Now squeeze slices, wash 1-2 times in fresh water.
2. Heat 1 1/2 tbsp oil fry bitter gourd slices adding rest of the turmeric powder and salt.
3. When slices are done, add ground paste, 1 - 1 1/2 cups water along with jaggery and allow all of it to simmer for a while.
4. When gravy is quite thick, remove from fire. Season mustard and curry leaves in 2 tsp oil, add to gravy, mix well.

Kakarkai Fry

Ingredients:
1/4 kg Bitter Gourd
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 - 1 tsp Chilly powder
1 sppon menti gunda
a pinch of Asafoetida
1 tbsp Rice Flour
2 - 3 tbsp Oil
Salt to taste

Method:
1. Wash bitter gourd, slit them into halves, de-seed and then cut into small pieces.
2. Sprinkle salt and turmeric powder, mix well; leave aside for an hour or so.
3. When about to fry, sprinkle chilly powder, rice flour and asafoetida powder, mix thoroughly.
4. Pour oil onto a non stick pan, add bitter gourd pieces, fry on high flame stirring all the while till crisp.

Kakarkai Fry

Ingredients:
Bitter gourd – 4 Nos
Ginger/garlic paste – 1 teaspoon
Red chilly powder - 1 teaspoon
Coriander powder – 1 teaspoon
Garam masala - ½ teaspoon
Vamu powder – ½ teaspoon
Senaga Pindi – 4 tablespoon
Rice flour – 2 tablespoon
Corn flour – 2 teaspoon
Lemon juice – 1 teaspoon
Salt – 1 teaspoon
Oil for deep frying

Method:

Wash and slice the bitter gourd lengthwise.
If the bitter gourd is big, then cut it into two and then slice it lengthwise carefully.
Do not remove the seeds unless it is too hard.
Add all the above ingredients except oil.
Mix everything together gently and ensure bitter gourd coated well with the ingredients.
Keep this aside for 5 minutes.
Heat little oil in a kadai.
When it is hot, drop the pieces seperately.
Fry it in medium flame until they become golden brown and crispy.

Kakarkai Stuffed

Ingredients:
Bitter gourd – 4 Nos
Onion – 1 big
Ginger garlic paste – 1 teaspoon
Lemon Juice – 1 teaspoon
Besan flour – 4 tablespoon
Red Chilli powder – 1 teaspoon
Turmeric powder – a pinch
Coriander Powder – 2 teasppon
Jeera powder – 1 teaspoon
Salt – 1 teaspoon or as per taste
Oil – 4 to 5 tablespoon


Method:

1. Wash and make a slit in the middle of the bitter gourd.
2. Remove the seeds and other parts inside the bitter gourd using a share knife.
3. Boil enough water and put the whole slit bitter gourd and allow to cook for two to three minutes.
4. Do not overcook. Otherwise bitter gourds tend to break.
5. Drain the water and cool the bitter gourd.
6. Chop the onion finely.
7. Mix besan, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, jeera powder, salt, ginger garlic paste, lemon juice and chopped onion together and make a stuffing.
8. Take the bitter gourd and put the above stuffing through the slit.Stuff all the bitter gourd like this.
9. Heat a tawa and grease it with oil.Arrange the bitter gourd on it. Pour oil over it.
10. Keep the flame medium. Cover with a lid. Cook for two to three minutes.Open it and gently turn it and cook other side also.
11. When you see the stuffing firm and bitter gourd is fried well, remove it.

Note: If the bitter gourd is very long, then you can cut it into two and then slit lengthwise. Instead of besan flour, you can also use peanut powder or til powder.

kakarkai Pappu

Ingredients
Bitter gourd – 3 Nos (Medium size)
kandi pappu – ½ cup
Grated Coconut -1/2 cup
Tamarind – small lemon size ball
Red chillies long – 4 Nos
Coriander Seeds – 2 tablespoon
Mina Pappu-1 teaspoon
Senaga Pappu - 3 tablespoon
Black Pepper – 1 teaspoon
Jeera-1 teaspoon
Turmeric powder – ½ teaspoon
salt-2 teaspoon
Gingelly Oil – 1 tablespoon
Mustard – ½ teaspoon
Curry leaves - few

Method

Slit the bitter gourds and remove the seeds. Cut it into small pieces.
Sprinkle little salt and mix well. Keep it aside.
Soak tamarind in water and squeeze out the juice by adding 3 cups of water little by little.
Pressure cook the thuvar dhal till soft.
In a kadai put a teaspoon of oil and roast Bengal gram dhal, urad dhal, coriander seeds, pepper, jeera and red chillies seaparately.
Add coconut gratings at the end and fry for a while. Remove and cool.
Mix all the roasted ingredients and fried coconut grating and grind to a fine paste.
Put the tamarind juice in a a vessel and add turmeric powder and salt. Bring to boil. When it starts boiling, take a handful of bitter gourd pieces and squeeze out all the water and add to the boiling tamarind juice.
Add all the pieces like this. Allow to boil.
When the bitter gourd is well cooked, add the ground paste, cooked dhal and mix well. Let it boil for few more minutes.
Season it with mustard and curry leaves.
Note:If you desire, you can add a small piece of jaggery to lessen the bitterness.

Kakarkai Curry ( bitter groud )

Ingredients
kakarkai - Medium sized 2
Onion – 1
Tomato – 1
Sambar Powder – 2 teaspoon
Curry Powder – 1 teaspoon
Turmeric Powder – a pinch
Jeera - 1 teaspoon
Mustar Seeds – ½ teaspoon
hing Powder – a pinch
Curry Leaves - few
Oil - 3-4 teaspoons
Salt – 1 teaspoon


Method:

1. Wash and cut the kakarkai into medium size pieces. Chop the onion and tomato.
2. Boil two to three glasses of water and when it is boiling put the kakarkai pieces. Allow to cook for five minutes. Do not overcook. Just blanch it.
3. Remove from stove and drain excess water.In a pan put the oil and when it is hot, add mustard.
4. When it pops up add jeera, hing and curry leaves.Then add chopped onion and fry till it turns transparent.
5. Add tomato pieces along with sambar powder, turmeric powder and salt.
6. Fry till the tomatos are mashed well. Add cooked kakarkai pieces and mix well.
Keep it in low flame for five minutes and stir now and then.

Note: You can also add a tablespoon of tamarind juice and a small piece of jaggery to the curry to get a sour and sweet taste.

BITTER GROUD ( KAKARKAI )

The bitter gourd has excellent medicinal values. It contains vitamin A, B1, B2, C and minerals like calcium, phosphorous, iron, copper and potassium. It helps purify blood tissue, enhances digestion, and stimulates the liver.

The bitter gourd is used in the treatment of diabetes to lower blood sugar levels. Its regular use prevents many complications such as hypertension, eye disorder, etc. It increases body's resistance against infection.

Because of its bitter taste, people do not like to cook this. Keeping in mind the health benefits it provides, we should add this vegetable atleast once in a week.