68) KARAATHYA SAGGLEA VERSION ‘A’

KARAATHYA SAGGLEA VERSION ‘A’

A KONKANI BITTER GOURD DRY CHUTNEY

Ingredients:

1)    Bitter gourd – 500 gm.

2)    Garlic – 1 bulb

3)    Dry coconut – ½

4)    Hot red chilies – 8 Nos.

5)    Tamarind – 25 gm.

6)    Coconut oil – 300 ml.

7)    Mustard seeds – ½ teaspoon

8)    Salt – 2 teaspoons

To Cook:

Split open the bitter gourd and clean out the seeds. Chop the bitter gourd to fine pieces.

Sprinkle a teaspoonful of salt. Mix well and set aside. Grate the coconut. Peel the garlic cloves. Set a thick medium size cast iron wok on the stove. Pour in the coconut oil. When the oil is hot, throw in the chilies, stir for 30 seconds, lift out and set aside.

Squeeze a handful of bitter gourd pieces to remove the excess moisture and put them in the hot oil. Continue the process until all the bitter gourd is in the wok. Turn down the heat. Put the grated coconut, thee fried chilies and the tamarind in a food processor. Do not add any water at all. Grind to moist powder and set aside.

Fry the bitter gourd pieces on medium heat stirring frequently until they turn golden brown. Lift out and drain the excess oil. Now take out most of the fried oil from the wok, leaving only a tablespoonful in it. Chuck in the mustard seeds. When they are about to finish spluttering, add the garlic cloves.

As soon as the garlic turns brown, tip in the fried bitter gourd pieces and the ground mixture. Put in a teaspoonful of salt. Stir on low heat for 5 to 6 minutes so that most of the water content evaporates. Taste and check the seasoning. Add more salt if required. Stir and switch off.

Your spicy karaathya sagglea version ‘A’ is ready to serve alongside all kinds of rice dishes, porridge, idlis and dosas. This delightful chutney is adored even by children since the bitter gourd loses most of its bitterness when you squeeze off the excess moisture after marination. Karaathya sagglea is usually prepared in two versions. The second version follows.

Enjoy!!!