Pavarkaai Vathal | Sun Dried Bitter-Gourd Recipe  | Bitter-Gourd Vathal, is a brilliant way to preserve this nutritious vegetable. Fryums recipe is a traditional recipe, during summer season vegetables are preserved for the rest of the seasons.

Pavakkai Vathal or sun dried bitter gourd is a traditional Tamil Nadu recipe made by drying veggies in the hot afternoon Sun. Bitter gourd is a rich source of vitamins and minerals and it contains iron, magnesium, potassium and vitamins like A and C, more over it has twice the calcium of spinach and beta-carotene of broccoli. Various anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds are present in bitter gourd. Bitter Gourd vathal goes well with all our south Indian dishes.

Biter-gourds are blanched with turmeric, salt and curd, then sun dried and Preserved for a longer shelf life time. Major consumptions will be in the form of Fried vathal or Kara kulambu with this fryers. In early days this recipe was used to persevere bitter-gourd for so many months, even in this era refrigerated bitter-gourd will stays fresh for 10 days, however this method will helps the vegetable to stay for a longer time.

Bitter- gourd:

Bitter-melon is the another name for bitter-gourd, and it is a tropical plant. In South Indian cooking Bitter-gourd is used in many ways like thoran, mezhukkupiratti, theeyal, pachadi, kootu and so on. Bitter-gourd helps in the treatment of diabetes, stomachache, skin diseases, ulcer, menstrual regulations. Pagarkkai Pitla is a special recipe in Tamilnadu with bitter-gourd.

Why to preserve BitterGourds?

Primarily, bitter-gourd helps to reduce the blood sugar, regulates the menstrual, helps in weight loss and may more. Bitter-gourd is a water sacked vegetable, so the shelf life will be less when compare to other vegetable, preserving in this method will helps to stay for longer period.

Step by Step Method

Wash and Clean the Bitter-Gourds

Evenly slice the BitterGourds, Slices should neither thin nor thick

Transfer the Sliced Bitter-gourds into a pan, add enough water to immerse the Bitter-gourds

Add the salt as needed

 Add 1/2 cup of curd

 Add 1/2 tsp of turmeric powder, Mix them well and boil it in medium flame.

Boil it for 5 mins, this is just a blanching process to preserve the Bitter-gourds

Drain the excess water in a strainer

Spread the bitter-gourd slices  in a mat or plate

Sun dry the Bitter-gourds for 3-4 days or until they turn crisp

Store them in a air tight container