Bittergourd Thokku/ Paavakkai Thokku

I have tasted this thokku somewhere in a restaurant when we were in Chennai.  I am not able to recollect the name of the restaurant. I tried this couple of days back and it came out very well.  Here goes the recipe.

Gongura Thokku

I love this gongura thokku. My patti make this thokku very nicely. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:-

1. Gongura Leaves - 1 cup
2. Tamarind - a small piece
   
3. Red chillies - 1 (acc to taste)
4. Sesame Oil - 2 tsp
5. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
6. Asafoetida powder - a pinch
   
7. Salt to taste
8. Green chillies -1
   

Preheat a drop of oil in a pan, fry red chillies to golden brown. In the same pan, cook gongura till it becomes tender. Let it cool. Now grind gongura leaves, red chillies, tamarind and salt into a fine paste. Now pre heat remaining oil, splutter mustard seeds, fry green chillies and asafoetida powder and add the grounded paste and fry it till nice aroma comes out. Store it in a air tight container. Can be used for more than a week if refrigerated.



Dershana has passed me this wonderful award. Thanks Dershana!!

I would like to pass this award to Bhawana, Priti and Vani

Tomato thokku

Most of us like this thokku and also know how to make this. I follow the recipe of my aunt who is very good at making this thokku. Here is the recipe for making tomato thokku.

Ingredients:-

1. Big Tomato - 6
2. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
3. Red chillies Powder - 1 tsp (acc to taste)
4. Salt to taste
5. Red chillies - 1
   
6. Sesame oil - 4 tbsp
7. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
8. Urad dhall - 1 tsp
9. Asafoetida powder - few pinches
10. Jaggery - 2 tsp (optional)

First wash the tomatoes and put it in hot boiling water. Cover the lid and let it be there for 3 mts. After 3 mts, take it out, let it cool and peel off the skin. Mash it nicely with a spatula or grind it in the mixie (its optional to grind; mashing itself will work). Pre heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, when it splutters add urad dhall, red chillies, asafoetida powder, turmeric powder, red chillies powder and salt and fry everything for couple of minutes. Now add the mashed tomatoes to it and mix it well with the ingredients. Reduce the heat to medium and let it cook for 5 to 7 mts. If necessary sprinkle a hand full of water on it. Now add the jaggery *** and mix it well. Let it cook for another 3 minutes. It will come like a thick paste and oil will spread out of the ingredients. Now turn off the stove. Let it cool and store it in a airtight container. This can be refrigerated and used for atleast a week to 10 days. This can be wonderful sidedish for Idly, dosa, chapathi and we can also spread this in bread slikces along with butter and eat it as a sandwich. It will be really good (my personal experience).

*** - Adding jaggery is optional. Some people (like my husband) may not like spicy items and especially red chilly powder. In order to compensate the spiciness, I add jaggery. We can also make this thokku without adding jaggery.

Mango Thokku

This is something I make very often whenever its mango season. This is very good side dish for curd rice. Here is how I make mango thokku.

Ingredients:-

1. Raw Mango - 1 cup
2. Sesame oil - 2 tbsp
3. Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
   
4. Red chillies powder - 3/4 tsp (acc to taste)
5. Salt to taste
6. Jaggery - 2 tbsp (acc to taste)
7. Fenugreek powder - 1 tsp
8. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
9. Asafoetida powder - a pinch
   

First peel off the skin from the mango and cut it into small cubes. Microwave it for 2 mts (this process is optional if we microwave mangoes, it may take less time to cook on stove top or we can directly cook on stove top). Pre heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, when it splutters add asafoetida powder, mango, required amount of water, turmeric powder, red chillies powder and salt and let everything cook for 10 mts till the mango becomes tender and mushy. Oil will spread out of the mango. Now add jaggery to it and mix it well and let it cook for another 3 mts. This thokku should not be watery. When it comes like a ball, turn off the stove. Now sprinkle the fenugreek powder*** on top of it and mix it well. Now thokku is ready to serve. This is a wonder full side dish for curd rice, chapathi, or rotis.

*** - fry 2 tsp of fenugreek in a dry pan, to golden brown. grind it into a fine powder and store it. This can be used as a medicine for mouth sore.