Tangy Bitter gourd curry (Paavakka Varutharachathu) and a round up of Onam Sadya recipes

Happy Onam to all those who celebrate this festival which celebrates food! Onam sadya (feast) includes an array of delectable, comforting vegetarian dishes made from the choicest and freshest vegetables which include a variety of gourds, pumpkins, green beans, carrots, cabbage as well as starchy vegetables like taro root, elephant’s foot and green plantains.  Coconut is an essential ingredient in almost all the dishes and coconut oil is the main cooking medium imparting so much flavor that you remain licking your fingers! Yes, you have to eat the sadya, which is served on a banana leaf, with your hands to truly savor it.It is an unique gastronomical experience involving all the senses 🙂

We are so fortunate to be able to continue this tradition even in our US home – yes we get frozen plantain leaves from our local Asian grocers and they are of a pretty good quality too! Today I wanted to share this bitter gourd curry which I had been meaning to post for a while. This curry is served for sadya as a ‘thodu curry’ which means kind of like a chutney or pickle to relish on the side.  The bitterness of bitter gourd is tamed by the addition of tamarind and a pinch of jaggery. This time my dad who is visiting us made a version of this curry using kodampuli for me since I am avoiding tamarind. Believe me the curry tasted equally good even with the substitution.

So Happy Onam and Happy Feasting! Scroll below this recipe to see a round of all the sadya recipes that I have posted before.

And here’s the round up of all sadya recipes:

Parippu curry (Lentils in coconut milk)

Sambhaar (Lentils and vegetable curry)

Avial (Mixed vegetables in coconut sauce)

More Kootan (Yoghurt and coconut curry)

Mathanga Erishery (Pumpkin and red beans curry)

Cabbage thoran (Cabbage sautéed in coconut)

Kadala and kaaya thoran(Green plantain and black chickpeas)

Inji Puli

Kumbalanga curry/Olan (Ash gourd in coconut milk)

Kumbalanga pachadi(Ash gourd in coconut and yoghurt sauce)

Paalada Payasam (Rice noodle Pudding)

Parippu payasam (Lentil Pudding)

 

 

 

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