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    Home » By Ingredient » Legumes » Green Gram ~ Mung Dal ~ Moong Dal

    Published: Feb 25, 2017 · Modified: Oct 2, 2020 by Usha Rao

    Kakarakaya Pesaru Pappu Koora ~ Bitter Gourd Moong Dal Curry

    Kakarakaya Pesara Pappu koora, Kakarakaya pesaru pappu koora, bitter ggourd moongg dal curry, karela moonggg dal subzi, karela ki subzi, bitter gourd stir fry, bitter gourd curry, blogging marathon, flavors of India, Telugu Food, South Indian Food,

    Kakarakaya pesaru pappu koora is a curry with grated kakarakaya (bitter gourd) and pesaru pappu (moong dal). Bitter gourd, as the name suggests is a bitter vegetable and disliked by many. There are many ways to cook this vegetable to reduce the bitterness. One way is to marinate the vegetable with salt and then squeeze off all the juices from the vegetable. Addition of moong dal to the curry also helps in camouflaging the bitter taste to some extent.

    Kakarakaya Pesara Pappu koora, Kakarakaya pesaru pappu koora, bitter ggourd moongg dal curry, karela moonggg dal subzi, karela ki subzi, bitter gourd stir fry, bitter gourd curry, blogging marathon, flavors of India, Telugu Food, South Indian Food,

    One of my cousins makes this kakarakaya pesaru pappu koora with grated kakarakaya (bitter gourd). This bitter gourd moong dal curry is similar to grated bitter gourd curry, with addition of moong dal. It is easy to make and must try for bitter gourd fans.

    I apologize for the bad pictures and those do not do justice to the curry. I was too lazy to take the pictures again and will try to replace them very soon, next time I make this curry. I always say that but never end up coming back to replace them 🙁 I hope to stick to this promise this time.. 🙂

    Kakarakaya Pesara Pappu koora, Kakarakaya pesaru pappu koora, bitter ggourd moongg dal curry, karela moonggg dal subzi, karela ki subzi, bitter gourd stir fry, bitter gourd curry, blogging marathon, flavors of India, Telugu Food, South Indian Food,

    Total Time: 1 - 1 ½ hours
    Prep Time: ½ - 1 hour (to marinate bitter gourd with salt before squeezing the juices)
    Cooking Time: 20 - 25 minutes
    Serves: 2

    Ingredients:

    • 3 small - medium size Bitter Gourd ~ Karela ~ Kakarakaya, about 6-7” long
    • ½ tsp. Salt
    • Punch of Turmeric
    • 2 tbsp. Moong Dal ~ Pesaru Pappu
    • 2 tbsp. Oil
    • ½ tsp. Cumin
    • 3-5 Curry Leaves
    • ½ small Onion, chopped (about ¼ cup chopped )
    • 3 small Green Chilies, cut into 3 pieces
    • 2 tsp. Garlic paste or crushed Garlic
    • ¾ tsp. Chili Powder (adjust to taste)
    • ¼ tsp. Salt (adjust to taste)
    • ¾ - 1 tsp. Coriander Powder
    • Pinch of Turmeric Powder
    • 1 tbsp. Roasted Sesame Seeds, powdered
    • ¾ tsp. Sugar (adjust to one’s preference)
    • Cilantro to garnish.

    Preparation:

    • Lightly scrape bitter gourd, wash, trim the edgges and grate using a wide grater.
    • Add ½ teaspoon of salt and turmeric to grated bitter gourd. Mix well and keep aside for at least ½ hour. I kept it aside for 1 ½ hours and this step can be done ahead of time as well. If cooking the curry in the morning, do this step night before.
    • Soak dal for at least 30 minute to one hour. I soaked the dal for 1 ½ hours.
    • Before cooking the curry, squeeze the juices from bitter gourd and keep aside. Marinating bitter gourd with salt will release lot of juices, so squeeze it well. This also reduces the bitterness of the gourd.
    • Heat oil in a pan. I used a stainless steel pan and for this quantity, a small 8 ½” pan will suffice.
    • When oil is hot, add cumin seeds and curry leaves.
    • When seeds are roasted, add onion, green chilies and saute until onions are soft.
    • Add garlic and saute for few seconds.
    • Add coriander powder, chili powder, salt, turmeric and give a good stir.
    • Discard water, add soaked dal and stir until spices coat dal.
    • Add grated bitter gourd, stir, cover and cook on low flame.
    • Stir intermittently until dal and bitter gourd are cooked. If necessary sprinkle some water.
    • Remove cover and saute for few more minutes.
    • Add sesame seed powder, sugar, stir and continue frying. Add these in the final stages, few minutes before turning off the flame.
    • Garnish with cilantro and serve with rice.

    Note:

    • Bitter gourd is a bitter vegetable and I feel regardless of what one does, the vegetable will taste bitter. The degree of bitterness varies depending on how it is cooked. I like the vegetable and the bitter taste of it. I add less sugar and one can add more depending on taste, to reduce the bitterness of the vegetable.
    • I made a small portion and cooked in a small pan. Hence cooked on medium to low flame. Despite that, I over cooked the curry and hence it looks a bit dry in the photos. Use appropriate flame and do not over cook the curry. One might end up with crispy moong dal.

    This day in 2010: Paneer bhurji and homemade paneer

    Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing this BM#73

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    1. Pavani says

      March 29, 2017 at 9:20 pm

      That's a delicious curry. Bittergourd and moong dal is an interesting combination. Will have to give your version a try soon.

      Reply
    2. Smruti@HerbivoreCucina says

      March 11, 2017 at 11:53 am

      I am not a fan of bitter gourd. This recipe is urging me to give that vegetable one more chance :p Great recipe.

      Reply
    3. Harini-Jaya R says

      March 09, 2017 at 8:45 pm

      Very different combination of karela and moong dal. Should check if my karela loving husband would like to try this one 🙂

      Reply
    4. Mireille Roc (@ChefMireille) says

      March 06, 2017 at 2:37 pm

      I cannot tolerate bitter gourd but I am sure is delicious for those who love this veggie

      Reply
    5. Srivalli Jetti says

      March 06, 2017 at 6:49 am

      Oh I have never cooked it this way!..very lovely pictures..

      Reply
    6. themadscientsist says

      March 05, 2017 at 1:11 am

      I love bittergourd and of course this gets done in my place next time I visit the market.

      Reply
    7. Rajani says

      March 04, 2017 at 1:46 pm

      I am a fan of the veggie, but never tried grating it before. nice pictures!

      Reply
    8. Sharmila - The Happie Friends Potpourri Corner says

      March 01, 2017 at 7:32 am

      An awesome dish.. Wont it be more bitter if we grate it ?

      Reply
      • usha says

        March 01, 2017 at 1:53 pm

        Taste wise it doesn't change much. Marinating it with salt and then squeezing the juices reduces the bitterness to some extent.

        Reply
    9. srividhya says

      February 28, 2017 at 7:50 pm

      Never tried grated bitter gourd. Very interesting. Bookmarking to try.

      Reply
    10. Sandhiya says

      February 27, 2017 at 9:14 pm

      Never tried anything other than stir fry of bitter gourd. Really the recipe sounds interesting and i'm sure the bitterness will be subside by adding moong dal.

      Reply
    11. Priya Suresh says

      February 27, 2017 at 12:37 pm

      Quite a different dish with bitter gourd, bookmarking this dish to give a try soon.

      Reply
    12. Gayathri Kumar says

      February 26, 2017 at 7:00 pm

      Wow! Cooking grated bitter gourd is quite interesting. And your snaps are so good.

      Reply

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