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Pavakka Pachadi served in a brown designer bowl. Served in the background is some red matta rice.

Bitter Gourd Kichadi/ Pachadi/ Pavakka Pachadi

Bitter Gourd Kichadi/ Pachadi/ Pavakka Pachadi is a simple side dish prepared from bitter gourd, yogurt, and fresh coconut for Onam Sadya.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Resting Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 2

Ingredients

  • 2 Bitter gourd - 1 Cup when Chopped
  • 1 Cup yogurt/curd

Cooking of Bitter gourd

  • 1 teaspoon salt - To remove bitterness
  • 2 tablespoon oil - For Shallow Frying
  • 1-2 Green Chilli Optional

Coconut paste Ingredients

  • ¼ Cup fresh grated coconut
  • 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds

Tempering

  • 1 teaspoon coconut oil
  • ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 8-10 curry leaves
  • 1-2 red chili

Instructions

Removing the bitterness

  • Rinse and pat dry the bitter gourd.
    2 Bitter gourd - 1 Cup when Chopped
  • Discard the ends and give a slit in between.
  • Remove the seeds of the bitter gourd.
    Removing seeds from Bitter gourd.
  • Chop it into bite-size pieces.
    Chopped Bitter gourd.
  • Add salt and mix and keep it aside for 30 minutes.
  • After 30 minutes, squeeze the bitter gourd in between your hands.
  • This will remove all the bitter water.
  • Once done rinse the bitter gourd thoroughly and drain all the excess water by squeezing it again in between your hands.

Making of paste of coconut.

  • In a blender add fresh coconut.
    ¼ Cup fresh grated coconut
  • Add mustard seeds and make a fine paste.
    1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
  • Keep it aside.

Shallow frying the bitter gourd

  • In a heavy bottom pan add oil.
    2 tablespoon oil - For Shallow Frying
    Oil added to a cooking pan.
  • Once hot add green chili if using.
    1-2 Green Chilli
  • Now add the chopped bitter gourd and cook the bitter gourd on slow to medium stirring in between.
    Pavakka and green chili added t o oil.
  • Cook till the bitter gourd is tender or starts turning brown. I cooked it until it just started turning brown as it adds a nice crunch.
    Pavakka getting cooked.
  • Now add the ground coconut paste and cook for 1-2 minutes.
    Adding of coconut and mustard paste to bitter gourd.
  • Switch off and let it cool.

Adding of yogurt

  • Beat the yogurt to a smooth paste.
    1 Cup yogurt/curd
  • If required add water. Do not add much as the bitter gourd will release water.
  • Once the bitter gourd and coconut mixture is cooled add yogurt.
    Adding of yogurt in the mixture.
  • Add required salt and mix everything.
    1 teaspoon salt - To remove bitterness

Tempering

  • In a tempering pan or a heavy bottom pan add oil.
    1 teaspoon coconut oil
    Oil in a tempering pan.
  • Once hot add mustard seeds and let it splutter.
    ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
    Adding of mustard seeds in oil.
  • Once it sputters add curry leaves and red chili.
    8-10 curry leaves, 1-2 red chili
    Tempering with Curry leaves and mustard seeds and Red chili.
  • Saute for a few seconds.
  • Add this tempering to the mixture and you are done.

Notes

  • Standard US Size cups are used.