Pavakai pullita kootu - Bittergourd tamarind kootu

Ingredients:
- 2 bittergourd
- 1 cup tamarind extract
- 1 tspn black pepper
- salt to taste
- pinch of turmeric
- 1 tspn jaggary
- 1/2 cup boiled toor dhal
- 1/4 cup coconut (optional)

Seasoning:
- 1/2 tspn mustard seeds
- 1/2 tspn uraddhal
- 1 tspn channa dhal
- 1 tspn peanuts
- few curry leaves

Method:
1. Chop the bitter gourd to bite size pieces and soak it in salt water for 30 minutes. This will decrease the bitterness.
2. Wash the bitter gourd thoroughly. Pressure cook the bitter gourd with a little bit of salt and turmeric. Drain all the water. Wash it one more time.
3. Add the tamarind extract, pepper powder and boil for 5 minutes. Finally add toor dhal and jaggary. Let it boil for few more minutes.
4. If using coconut fry it in a little bit of oil with the seasoning and add it to the kootu. Let it boil till it thickens.

Serve hot with rice.