Bitter gourd fry/Pavakkai fry is a crispy and tasty side dish for rice.

Ingredients:

• 3 nos – Bitter gourd (Pavakkai/Karela)
• 3 tbsp – Gram flour (Besan/Kadalai maavu)
• 2 tbsp – Rice flour
• 1 no – Tamarind (gooseberry size)
• 1 1/2 tsp – Red chili powder or Sambar powder
• 1/4 tsp – Turmeric powder
• Salt as needed
• 3 tbsp – Oil

Preparation method:

1. Wash and slice bitter gourd into circles, remove seeds or you can keep it. Soak tamarind in little water and squeeze out the pulp.
2. Take a wide bowl, add gram flour, rice flour, turmeric, red chili powder, tamarind juice and salt with the sliced bitter gourds and mix everything well together. Marinate for 10 mins.
3. Heat oil in a pan, cover with lid and shallow fry marinated bitter gourd pieces until it cooks. Remove lid and continue frying until you see golden brown color on both sides. Use paper towel to remove the excess oil.
4. Now bitter gourd fry is ready.Serve hot with sambar and rice.

Notes:

• You can also deep fry instead of shallow fry.