Bitter Gourd Pachadi Recipe-Pavakka Kichadi-Kerala Style

Pavakka Kichadi/pachadi is a very easy and simple dish prepared with bitter gourd and yogurt/curd. I make this often at home (Both Kerala and Tamil Nadu style) as it is one of my most favorite bitter gourd dish. It tastes great and goes well with rice and rotis. This pavakka kichadi is one of the dishes prepared for Onam Sadya. Today we will learn how to make bitter gourd pachadi following this easy recipe.

Pavakka Kichadi-Bittergourd Pachadi Recipe

Prep Time : 10 mins

Cook Time : 15 mins
Serves: 3
Recipe Category: Side Dish
Recipe Cuisine: Indian-Kerala
Author:Padhu Sankar

Ingredients needed

   Bittergourd/pavakka – 3 medium size
   Pearl onions/small onions- 1/4 cup finely chopped
   Green chilli -2 slit
   Plain yogurt/curd – 1 cup or as needed
   Salt to taste

For Grinding

Grated coconut – 1/4 cup
Mustard seeds -1/2 tsp

For the seasoning

   Oil -2 tsp
   Mustard seeds -1 tsp
   Red Chillies – 2
   Curry leaves – a sprig

Preparation

Wash and cut bitter gourd lengthwise. Discard the seeds and chop the bitter gourd finely.

Peel and chop onions finely. You can use 1 big onion, if you do not find time to peel small onions/pearl onions.

Grind grated coconut, mustard seeds with a little curd to a smooth paste and keep it aside.

Method

Heat oil, add onions, slit green chilli and saute until onions turn transparent.

Add chopped bitter gourd and cook until light brown and tender.

Add the ground paste and cook for a few more seconds. Switch off the heat and leave it to cool.

Add curd and mix well.

Heat oil, add mustard seeds, when it splutters, add red chillies, curry leaves and pour it over the kichadi. Serve as a side dish for rice.

For Tamil Nadu Style Pavakkai Pachadi

Skip the ground paste. After the bitter gourd is cooked, leave it to cool. Add curd, mix well and season with the ingredients mentioned under seasoning.

Tips to remove/reduce bitterness from bitter gourd – After chopping bitter gourd, add salt generously and keep it aside for 30 minutes. It would have oozed lot of water. Squeeze out the water well, rinse it twice and use it.

You can thinly slice bitter gourd and deep fry it for the pachadi/ kichadi if preferred. This will reduce the bitter taste.

You should know – Bitter gourds are bound to taste bitter and the bitterness is actually good for our health.

More Bittergourd Recipes

Bitter gourd Curry

Bitter gourd Pitlai

Bitter gourd Chips

Stuffed Bitter gourd

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