Hagalakayi Menaskayi

Ingredients:
2 medium sized Bitter gourd / Hagalakai
Pinch of Turmeric
Large grape sized Tamarind
2 large lemon sized Jaggary
1/2 tsp chilly powder
3/4 cup grated Coconut
5-6 Red Chillies
4-5 tsp Sesame seeds / Ellu
1/2 tsp Fenugreek seeds / Methi seeds
3/4 tsp Blackgram seeds / Uddinabele
1/2 tsp Coriander seeds / Kotambari
Pinch of Asafotida powder
Salt to taste
2-3 Curry Leaves
1/4 tsp Mustard seeds
3-4 tsp Oil

Recipe:
Add tamarind and 1/2 cup of water in a bowl, smash it and keep it aside.
Cut bitter guard into two pieces and remove the seeds. Chop bitter gourd into small pieces and put it in a vessel full of water, bring it to boil and drain the water. Do this step 2 or 3 times, so that bitterness of the bitter guard goes off. Add jaggary, salt, tamrind water, pinch of turmaric powder, chilly powder, 2 tsp oil, water and cook them well. Add red chillies, sesame seeds, coriander seeds, blackgram seeds, fenugreek seeds, 2 tsp oil in a pan and fry them until you get nice aroma. Add grated coconut and fry them for about 3-4 mins in medium flame. Grind this fried masala into smooth paste by adding sufficient amount of water. (If it is frozen coconut use hot water while grinding.) Add this ground coconut to a vessel containing cooked bitter gourd and bring it to boil. Keep the menskayi in low flame for about 4-5 mins. Add mustard seeds and 1 tsp oil in a pan. Once it starts spluttering, add curry leaves and add it to Menaskayi. Mix well before serving. It goes well with Rice and Dosas.