181) KARAATHYA NONCHÉ

KARAATHYA NONCHÉ

A TASTY DEEP FRIED

BITTER GOURD PICKLE

Ingredients:

     1)    Karaathya kocholu (deep fried bitter gourd bits) – 1 cup (see my recipe)

     2)    Water – 1 cup

     3)    Hot red chili powder – 2 level teaspoons

     4)    Salt – 1 heaped teaspoon

     5)    Coconut oil or other cooking oil – 1 tablespoon

     6)    Mustard seeds – ¼ teaspoon

     7)    Fenugreek seeds – 2 pinches

     8)    Tender curry leaves – 2 sprigs

     9)    Asafoetida powder – 3 to 4 pinches.

     10)     Tamarind – an olive sized bit

To Cook:

          Soak the tamarind in a cup of water for 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and squeeze it well with your fingers. Sieve the tamarind juice. Set a small cast iron wok on high heat. Pour in the coconut oil and throw in the mustard seeds. As soon as the mustard seeds are about to finish popping, tip in the fenugreek seeds.

          When the fenugreek starts to crackle, lower the heat and tip in the curry leaves and the chili powder. Stir once and pour in the sieved tamarind juice. Now turn up the heat and chuck in the karaathya kocholu. Tip in the salt. As soon as it comes to a boil, sprinkle the asafoetida powder and switch off the heat. Your tasty karaathya nonche is ready to serve. Serve with rice, cherupayar kanji, gruel or with porridge. Karaathya nonché also goes well with idlis, roasted idlis, appos, machkat and dosas.

Enjoy!!!