Bittergourd with Potato(Pavvakkai with Potato porial)
Ingredients:

Bitter gourd - 4 small

Onion - 2 chopped

Garlic - 3 pods crushed

Ginger - one small inch crushed

Potato - one small (optional)

Coriander powder - 1 to 11/2 tsp

Redchilli Powder - 1/2 tsp

Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp

Buttermilk -one cup

Tumeric powder - 2 pinch for soaking

Seasonings:

Mustard seeds - 1/4tsp

Cumin seeds -1 tsp

Curry leaves -10 leaves or one stick

Spilt black gram dhal - 1/2 tsp

Oil -2 tbsp

To remove bitterness from Pavvakkai:

Wash Pavvakkai and cut open. Take out thick seeds if there is any. Cut into small pieces bite sized. Soak these pieces in buttermilk with turmeric and salt for 15 minutes to remove some of these bitterness.

Method:

Heat oil in a pan, season it with mustard, cumin, curry leaves. Saute onion till light brown and add crushed ginger and garlic. Fry this till crisp lightly.

Now drain out the excess water from the bittergourd and squeeze out the extra water if there is any. Potato can be added along with Pavakkai. Add them to the onion mixture and add turmeric powder and cook till tender. Add red chilly powder, coriander powder, jaggery, salt and fry till the masala blends well. It gives more taste and flavour when it's fried for almost 20 minutes over the very low flame stirring often or till pavvakkai becomes shrink. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve as a side dish for rice or it is best to mix with rice and a dollop of ghee.