కాకరకాయ పుల్ల బెల్లం: Kakarakaya pulla bellam- Bitter melon curry with tamarind & jaggery

INGREDIENTS:
6 medium kakarakayalu/Bitter gourd/melon
Big Marble sized tamarind/chinthapandu or puree (1 tbsp)
Salt to taste
1/4 tsp turmeric/pasupu
1tsp chilly powder/mirappodi
1tbsp bellam/jaggery/brown sugar

Thiragamatha/Thadka/seasoning
1tbsp oil
1/2tsp avaalu/Mustard seeds
1tbsp senagapappu/chana dal
1/2 tbsp minapappu/urad dall
6 curry leaves/karivepaku

Thayarucheyatam/Preparation
1. Wash and cut kakarakayalu into round pieces.
2. In a pan add tamarind juice,bitter melon pieces,turmeric and salt.
3. Cover and cook them until the bitter melon pieces are cooked well.
4. Don't smash them. Don't add too much water.
5. Heat oil in a pan add the seasonings, when it is all done add the boiled
bitter melon pieces and fry them for 5 min.
6. Add chilly powder, brown sugar according to your taste.
7. Serve hot with hot rice.

If you like it little sour then you can add 1tsp tamarind puree along with chilly powder and jaggery.