Rajam's Bitter Melon Pickle

Bitter Melon is not everyone's cup of tea.  But seriously, once you get used to it, you cant get enough of it.  As a child I watched my mother go through various vegetables that were supposed to be healthy especially for my father who had high blood pressure, asthma and cholesterol.   In one such journey she discovered the bitter melon and this recipe from a friend of hers in Kollam.  This was a regular addition to our meals and though I was not a very big fan of bitter melon unless it was deep fried, I got used to this recipe and now I love it and make it a lot.  I hope you try it and like it too. 

Ingredients

Bitter Melon : 2 numbers, washed, cleaned and sliced thinly to 1 inch pieces

Tamarind: lemon sized ball soaked in hot water and juices extracted

Onion: 1 large, chopped finely

Green Chillies: 5 or 6 slit

Ginger: 4 inch piece, julienned

Garlic: 10 or 12, sliced

Asafoetida: ½ teaspoon

Mustard: ½ teaspoon

Turmeric powder: ½ teaspoon

Kashmiri Chilli powder: 1 teaspoon (you can add more)

Oil: 2-3 tablespoons

Salt: to taste

Method:

Take the prepared bitter melon, sprinkle salt all over it and leave it aside for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, wash the pieces and put them in a saucepan along with the onions and tamarind water.  Cook till just tender.

In a wok, heat oil and add mustard seeds.  When the seeds start to burst, add the chillies, ginger, garlic and asafoetida.  Mix well till you can get the fragrance of the ginger and garlic, but do not brown.

Turn the heat off and add the turmeric and chilli powder.

Add this to your cooked bitter melon and check for salt.  Add salt if needed.

Cook on a low flame till the oil separates and floats on top.

Cool down and bottle.

This will stay in the fridge for up to 2 weeks and can be served as a side dish with rice or chappaties.

Note:

To prepare bitter melon, top and tail and cut lengthwise.  Scoop out seeds and pulp. Wash again. Slice thinly lengthwise and approximately 1 inch pieces.