Bitter Gourd Stir Fry/Merukuperratiyathu

Of late I've taken this new craving for bitter gourd/pavakkai...

When I was younger say around ten or eleven, I used to wonder what kind of pleasure did my mom get by eating a veggie this bitter. Oh she made it look so heavenly unlike my first pic, hers would be crispier-almost like chips. I guess she freaked out on oil while doing so...but I can't afford to do so...would have nightmares thinking that I had literally deep fried these bitter sweeties :)

So,Mummy this is to you...At this age I perfectly understand your craving and I do enjoy it myself as a side dish along with a small bowl of rice, two dollops of curd and a spicy pickle-that'll do!

The recipe is so simple, I am sure many other food bloggers would have more tastier versions of this-I keep mine simple.Slice the bitter gourd like so as is seen in the pics-add to it some turmeric and adequate salt. In a skillet, add a tsp of coconut oil(preferable), add in some sliced onions and as they turn slightly brown, add in the bitter gourd and let it cook on a low flame (simmering heat)Check it from time to time, toss them about so that they don't cling to the bottom of the skillet, add another tsp of oil if required. Place a lid on the dish so that it cooks thoroughly, once the lid is open,add a quarter tsp of cayenne pepper. The dish changes colour almost immediately and let it continue to crisp up with the lid open.

I've seen my mom make it really crsipy, but patience is not a virtue that I possess, so once I tasted one of the bitter gourd rings and felt that it was cooked through, I turned off the heat and allowed the dish to stay in the skillet for a while more before plating.

It is indeed an acquired taste-bitterness is not a taste that everyone relates to. I would now like to say perhaps mine is inherited. Thanks Mummy!

There are readily available bitter gourd crisps on the racks in stores and they just need to be deep fried. I have tried that as well...but would prefer to use mine fresh. Thankfully, my  husband and I enjoy this and we do wipe the skillet clean whenever I do make this.