Kaakarakaaya/Bitter Melon Fry - 1

I got this recipe from my friend Vani. This is her mom's recipe. A very tasty food when eaten with rice. Few weeks ago when I visited Vani at her home, I tasted this fry with plain rice. From that day, I could not forget the taste and I was waiting to find the nice bitter melon in the grocery store. Finally, I found some nice ones couple days ago and here I am... with the wonderful recipe...

Recipe came out very well.. except that my husband said it is little salty when had it without anything. But tasted very well when eaten with rasam annam and perugu(yogurt) annam.

This recipe can be done in 3 simple steps. I will specify ingredients according to these steps. This is a very simple recipe to make.

Ingredients:

1st step:

Bitter Melon : 4 lbs
Salt : 1 spoon
Yogurt : 2 tbsps
Turmeric : 1/2 spn
Water : 2 boil

2nd step:

Oil to deep fry

3rd step:

oil : 6 spoons (adjust it if you need more)
Mustard seeds : 1/2 tsp
urad dal :1 spoon
Dhania powder : 1 spoon
Chilli powder : 2 spoons
Turmeric : 3/4 spoon
Cumin powder : 1/2 tsp
garlic : 3 crushed
Salt - to taste

Procedure:

1st step:

Wash bitter melon properly.
Mix all the ingredients under 1st step and boil them without closing the lid. Reson to not to close the lid is, bitterness will be evaporated.
This should be done approx in 20- 25 min.
Remove bitter melon carefully from water.
Cut them into 1/2-1 inch circles and dry them under sun for few hours. if there is no sun, let it dry in your house for few hours. The reason to do this is to dry the melon with no water so that it can be easily deep fried.

2nd step:

Deep fry the dried melon until it turns brown color.

3rd step:

heat oil in a pan.
Add mustard seeds. let it pop.
Add urad dal. let it turn brown.
Add crushed garlic.
Add fried bitter melon.
Add cumin, dhania, chilli, salt and turmeric.
Fry for 10 min or until all the powders are mixed with with bitter melon.
Serve with rice. This goes well with rasam and yogurt.

Note :

When doing the 3rd step, add spoon of powdered jaggery, roasted coconut powder, roasted tamarind (small lemon size) and handful of curry leaves to enhance the flavor.
I did not add all these. But the taste was equally good.