Pitlai is a Tamil Brahmin recipe

Pitlai dish

Pitlai is a Tamil Brahmin recipe using some basic vegetables and cooked in a coconut-based gravy. Pitlai is a good side dish with rice and any kuzhambu and here’s the story of how I first made and tasted Pitlai with my MIL.
I had never heard of pitlai before I tasted this in July this year when we were in Coimbatore at the in-laws’ place. MIL had made this Kathirikai Chana pitlai for for lunch the day we landed and much like everything else she cooks, it was delicious.
I have learnt so much from her style of cooking, not to mention all the super easy yet delicious Tamil Brahmin recipes. Pitlai to me seemed like a mash-up between sambar and kootu but has a distinct flavour of its own too.

Name of Recipe or dish:Pitlai
Preparation Time:10 minutes
Cook time:20 minutes
Total time:30 minutes
Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients:

2 med bitter gourds ("karela")
3/4 can chickpeas
1/2 cup cooked toovar dal
3 green chillies slit
1 1/2 tspn tamarind paste
3-4 red dry chillies
2 tspns urad dal
1 1/2 tspn coriander seeds
1/2 cup grated coconut
few peppercorns
a little jaggery or sugar
turmeric, salt to taste
mustard seeds, curry leaves, oil for seasoning
Preparation
Slit bitter gourd into four quarters and cut 1/2 inch thick pieces across.
In a little oil, saute cut bitter gourd and green chillies. Add 2 cups water, tamarind, turmeric and salt. Let simmer
until bitter gourd are tender. Add chickpeas and jaggery/sugar.
While bitter gourd are cooking, in another pan sprinkle a little oil and fry coriander seeds, urad dal, red chillies and peppercorns until well roasted. Add coconut, stir a min or two and then grind in a blender. Add a little tomato paste if handy for color.
Blend in cocunut paste into the bitter gourd-tamarind mixture. Add the dal. Mix well and reheat a till it begins to simmer. Take off stove.
Pour seasoning on top.