Curds/Coconut Curry + Bittergourd Side-Dish

I love simple meals, and this is one of them. Hot rice, a sour and spicy Curd/Coconut curry, a spicy vegetable, some pickle and pappadam; makes me happy, any day, any time. You will also catch me slurping on a large bowl of this brew; not necessarily at lunch time .
Care to try ? Am sure you will ….again and again.
Curd/Coconut Curry:
2 Cups curds
1 Cup desiccated coconut
1 Cup (approx) water
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
2-3 green chilies
Small bunch of coriander leaves
Curry leaves – few
Mustard seeds – 1/2 teaspoon
Methi seeds – 1/4 teaspoon
Red chillies 2 – roughly broken
Ginger -1″ crushed in a pestle
Salt to taste
Oil or ghee

Grind very fine -the coconut, cumin seeds, green chillies and coriander leaves. {I separately put the desiccated coconut in a dry grinder and powder it very fine, then add the remaining ingredients- this gives best results}. I used 2 green chillies – you can add more if you like it more spicy; my family likes it mild. Keep aside till required.

In a pan, add little oil/ghee and put the mustard seeds. When they crackle, add methi, crushed ginger, red chillies and curry leaves. Then add the coconut/chilly paste and saute for sometime. Add curds a tablespoon at a time and mix till fully incorporated. It is important to stir immediately when adding the curds; or it may separate and curdle. Add salt to taste and enough water to make a thick curry and keep on fire till it comes to a boil. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve steaming hot.

Bitter-Gourd Side Dish
1 Kg Bittergourd (Cut into halves-remove pith and slice fine).
1.5 teaspoon/or more chilly powder or bafat powder
1.5 cups thick curds.

Wash the bittergourd. Add salt and keep aside for 10-15 minutes. Then wash away the salt and squeeze out as much water as you can. Add chilly/bafat powder, curds and salt to taste (careful with the salt- as you just added salt and washed it out). Let it rest for 15 minutes.
In a non-stick pan, put 3-4 tablespoons of oil and add the bittergourd mixture. Keep on a very slow fire. Keep stirring every 5 minutes or so and scrape off any that may be stuck to the pan. It will take about 1 hour for it to cook and be nice and crisp. When it is brown and crispy add 1 tablespoon sugar..and let it caramalise. Keep stirring till you can see oil separate from the mixture. Put the fire off…. keep the vessel in a tilted position..so that all the excess oil drains out. Transfer to another dish…(so that you dont have too much oil). Serve hot.

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