Hagala kayi (bitter gourd) thokku

 

Ingredients

Hagala kayi (bitter gourd//karela)—3

Jaggery ( Bella//gud)—1 small achhu ( or 4 to 5 tablespoon powder)

Dry red chillies ( bydagi variety)(ona  menasina kayi//lal mirch)—10 to 12 

Mustard seeds (sasive//rai)—2 teaspoon 

Menthya kaalu ( fenugreek seeds//methi dana)—1 teaspoon 

Hing (asafoetida//ingu)—1 tablespoon 

Turmeric powder (arisina//haldi)—1 teaspoon 

Salt—1 tablespoon 

Oil— 1 teaspoon 

Hunase hannu ( imli//tamarind) big lemon sized( soaked in water)or two tablespoon  pulp.

Method 

Firstly roast menthya kaalu,sasive,hing,dry red chillies adding oil in a pan on medium flame till menthya kaalu turns to light brown colour and chillies turns crisp.

Switch off the stove.

Keep it aside to cool completely.

Next wash the hagala kayi and dry them completely.

Slit them in the centre and remove seeds.

Chop them into small pieces.

Transfer them into a bowl add salt and turmeric powder and mix them with your hands.

Keep it aside for ten minutes.

Next powder the roasted masala in a mixer grinder jar to fine powder.

Now squeeze the juice from hagala kayi with your hands and transfer the chopped pieces into another pan or kadai.

Fry the hagala kayi pieces on medium flame for 4 to 5 minutes stirring continuously.

Take out from heat and keep it aside to cool completely.

Transfer them to the mixer grinder jar along with ground masala powder and grind them without adding water.

Now to prepare thokku 

Heat 2 to 3 tablespoon of oil in a pan or kadai,add one teaspoon of sasive (mustard seeds//rai),when it crackles add ground mixture.

Add crushed jaggery and stir it on  low medium flame,add tamarind juice.

At this stage add 1/2 teaspoon of salt in needed.

Fry them till mixture gets thickened and chutney consistency is ready.

Switch off the stove.

Let it cool completely.

Transfer into a clean sterilised glass jar and store it in refrigerator for more shelf life.

Very tasty hagala kayi thokku is ready to serve.

Serve with hot rice with ghee or ground nut or til oil.

This is a traditional recipe from malenaadu.