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
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
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View Comments (6)
Grinding mustard with coconut,?its really different..
We don't use onions in it!!
Super receipe....tried and it came well.yummy
Super...yummy pavakka pachadi
I tried the Tamil version of Pavikka Kichadi today. I added a pinch of hing.Enjoyed it thoroughly. Thank you!!
Very tasty...