Curry recipes | Havyaka

Haagal kaayi hulimelara | Bitter gourd curry

By Leena Hegde, Puttanamane

Ingredients A quick look Step by step Notes

Haagal kaayi hulimelara or huli melogara is a kind of bitter gourd curry and is mixed with plain rice to eat. Finely chopped bitter gourd is tempered with a few spices and then cooked in water with tamarind and jaggery. Though this curry is a mixed taste of sour, sweet, and spicy, the sour taste is little dominant. So is the name Hulimelara or huli melogara. Huli meaning is sour, and melara or melogara meaning side dish in simple terms.

Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Cool off time

0 Total time

25 mins

Course

Curry

Diet

Vegan, Vegetarian

Difficulty level

Easy

Servings

1 cup

Ingredients

1 medium or 2 small tender bitter gourd
1 green chilli
2 pieces dry red chilli
1 teaspoon tamarind
1 teaspoon jaggery
1 teaspoon oil
¼ teaspoon husked split black gram (uddina bele or urad dal)
½ teaspoon mustard seeds
1 generous pinch turmeric powder
Salt as required
Water as required

Cookware / Utensils

Pan
Bowl(s)
Spoon

Instructions

How to make Haagal kaayi hulimelara

Rinse bitter gourd and green chilli well in clean water, and finely chop them.
Soak tamarind in ¼ cup water and keep aside.
Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a thick pan on a low flame.
Add chopped green chilli, and 2 pieces of dry red chilli.
Add ¼ teaspoon husked split black gram.
Add ½ teaspoon mustard seeds, and a generous pinch of turmeric powder.
Let the mustard seeds crackle.
Now, add the chopped bitter gourd. Stir and mix well.
Add 1 cup water. Increase heat to medium.
Now, take the soaked tamarind and squeeze the tamarind pulp.
Add the tamarind pulp, 1 teaspoon jaggery, and salt as required. Mix well.
Continue to cook for about 8 to10 minutes or until the bitter gourd is cooked well. Stir frequently.
Then switch off the heat.
Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature with plain rice.

Step by step guide

How to make Haagal kaayi hulimelara

1. Rinse bitter gourd and green chilli well in clean water, and finely chop them. Please note that I have used tiny green chilli aka bird’s eye chilli. You can use any green chilli.

2. Soak tamarind in ¼ cup water and keep aside.

3. Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a thick pan on a low flame.

4. Add chopped green chilli, and 2 pieces of dry red chilli.

5. Add ¼ teaspoon husked split black gram.

6. Add ½ teaspoon mustard seeds, and a generous pinch of turmeric powder. Let the mustard seeds crackle.

7. Now, add the chopped bitter gourd.

8. Stir and mix well.

9. Add 1 cup water. Increase heat to medium.

10. Now, take the soaked tamarind and squeeze the tamarind pulp.

11. Add the tamarind pulp, 1 teaspoon jaggery, and salt as required. Mix well.

12. Continue to cook for about 8 to10 minutes or until the bitter gourd is cooked well. Stir frequently.

Add more water as required to cook the bitter gourd well, if the water added is not sufficient.

13. Then switch off the heat.

14. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature with plain rice.

Notes

Use tender bitter gourds and do not use ripe ones. If the seeds are developed please discard the seeds while chopping.
You can increase or decrease the quantity of tamarind and / or jaggery as per your taste.