Puli Inji - Ginger in Tangy Spicy Tamarind Sauce

I did not take a good picture of the Puli Inji.  It was already late for lunch and I did not want to delay it further with my attempts at a better picture.  It also needs a little more patience.  More props. Better lighting. And when you are hungry it is not easy !

Puli Inji is preparation from Pallakad, Kerala.  If you like the spiciness of green chili, the tangy taste of tamarind and gingery flavour.  This is for you.  Have it with plain rice, with upma, with curd rice or pongal.  Recipe from SpicyTasty   - they even have good pictures !

Ingredients:

Ginger - 4 tbsp - chopped - or cut into thin strips 

Green chilies - 2 nos - chopped finely

Tamarind paste - 2 heaped tablespoon or if you are using whole tamarind about 50 gms

Methi or Fenugreek Seeds - 1/4 tsp - roast and powder

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp for seasonning

Oil - 2 tsp

Curry leaves - few

Jaggery powder - 1 tbsp  ( or substitute with brown sugar)

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Asafoetida (hing) - pinch

Salt to taste

If using fresh tamarind - Soak in a cup of warm water for at least 15 minutes to soften and extract pulp

Or dissolve the ready tamarind paste in a cup of water.

Take a pan.  Heat - add a little oil

Add the chopped ginger and green chili.   Sauté for a while.  Remove keep aside

In the remaining oil add mustard seeds, allow to crackle.

Add the curry leaves.

Followed by the tamarind paste and the sautéed ginger- chilies, turmeric and salt

Bring to a boil. 

Now add the jaggery, simmer and allow  to thicken to a sauce like consistency

Just before taking it off the stove add the roasted fenugreek powder and the hing

Remove.  Serve.  It will keep for a while if refrigerated.... if it lasts

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Kakarkaya Pulusu - Bitter Gourd in Sweet and Sour Sauce

This is a dish that has all tastes - the bitter, the sour, the sweet with salt to taste!  If you do not like the bitter taste of the vegetable, this is ideal since the sweet kind of camouflages the bitterness.. not totally, but most of it.
This recipe is from Sailu's Kitchen.

Ingredients:
Bitter Gourd - 1 large / 2 medium
Onion - 1 large chopped
Green chilies - 2-  slit along the length
Garlic - 2-3 nos - chop
Ginger - 1/2 "
Tamarind paste - 2 tbsp - dissolve in water and keep ready
Grated Jaggery or sugar - 2-3 tbsp -
( preferable to use jaggery and use less of tamarind and jaggery initially - you can always add more)
Curry leaves - few
Coriander leaves for garnish
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Chilie powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil - 2-3 tbsp may be required

Wash the bitter gourd. Scrape the skin if you wish ( optional)
Cut lengthwise and de-seed and then cut into one inch pieces
Put in a vessel with water and a little salt and place on heat - till veg pieces are half cooked
Drain the water and keep ready.

In a pan, take about a tbsp of oil.
Fry the bitter gourd pieces for about 5 minutes.  Keep aside.

In the same pan add the onion, garlic and ginger and  Sauté  till the onions are translucent
Grind to a coarse paste

Heat oil in the pan once again
Add the curry leaves and the green chilies. Sauté
Add the coarsely ground paste.  Sauté again
Then add the powders and the jaggery 
And now the bitter gourd pieces and the tamarind sauce and required amount of salt.

Taste and adjust the tamarind, jaggery and salt.
Simmer for a while

Take off fire. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Ideally eaten with rice to which ghee is added and spoonful of mudda pappu ( plain cooked roasted red gram dal which has been seasoned with salt) and maybe a few crispies

Tips:
Do keep the bitter gourd cooked just enough - there should be a bite left - do not overcook
The finished product should be fairly thick - so the sauce needs to be simmered till then and only after it is achieved, add the bitter gourd, combine.