Delicious Pavakka varuthathu/ Bitter gourd fry
Pavakka varuthathu is a spicy and delicious recipe used as a side dish for rice. It’s easy to make this crispy Kerala dish.
The bitterness along with the tempered spicy taste gives this dish a unique flavour. You can also reduce the bitterness by soaking the sliced pieces of bitter gourd in curd and salt for 15 mins. The use of coconut oil also has an important contribution for its peculiar taste. Let’s have a look at the ingredients required for making this Pavakka varuthathu or bitter gourd fry.
Ingredients required
- 2 cups of sliced one-inch pieces of Bitter gourd/Pavakka
- 1 tablespoon of coconut bits/thenga kothu
- 1 cup of thinly sliced big onions
- 3 – 4 green chillies, sliced lengthwise
- 1/2 – 3/4 cup of coconut oil
- Salt (according to your requirement)
Method of preparation
- Boil the sliced bitter gourd pieces in just enough water along with green chillies and salt.
- Once it is half cooked, remove from the flame.
- Drain out the excess water and add in the coconut bits.
- Heat the oil in a wok (frying pan) and add ½ cup of boiled bitter gourd or pavakka.
- Continue frying in a low flame till the pieces turns crispy and attains a brown colour.
- Take out the fried bitter gourd and drain the oil using a slotted spoon. Arrange it on a flat vessel.
- Repeat the frying as batches.
- Once all the pieces are fried, add in the sliced onions and saute it till it turns crispy and attains a brown colour. (Pour in the oil according to the requirement)
- Drain out the fried onions and top it on the fried bitter gourd pieces.
- Serve it with rice
