Stir Fried Bitter Gourd & Pumpkin

Bitter gourd is an acquired taste that is complemented the way we cook in Bengali cuisine by using lentil, mixed vegetable(Shukto/Bitter Sweet Mixed vegetable Medly) and other ingredients. Bitter gourd is an excellent palate cleanser and any bitter gourd item is served in the beginning of any meal so that next delicious items can be savored wonderfully.

I grew up eating bitter gourd boiled and mashed with potato almost everyday in summer months. Never complained about its bitterness. My mother used sometimes freshly grated coconut just to stir fry that cut little bit of bitterness from the bitter gourd. Using sweet pumpkin with bitter gourd is a wonderful combination along with grated coconut and its bitter sweet taste is really refreshing! This is my mother's recipe.

Ingredients~

1 cups bitter gourd sliced and cut in half

2 cups sweet pumpkin sliced in long strips

1/2 cup freshly grated coconut

1/4 tsp nigella seeds

1/3 tsp salt or to taste

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

2 tbsp oil.

Method~

Heat oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Temper nigella seeds. Add in bitter gourd and saute for a few minutes then add in pumpkins and saute for a few minutes. Then add turmeric and salt. Reduce heat to low and cover the pan for 5-6 minutes until vegetables are tender. Stir in between. When the bitter gourd and pumpkin soft,  sprinkled coconut and let it cook for a few minutes. Serve with plain rice. 

 

Happy Cooking!