Karela curry

Ingredients:

Bitter gourd - 3 cups, fresh, deseeded, cut into thin rounds
Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Salt - 1/2 teaspoon
Tamarind - a lemon-sized lump
Red chilli powder – 1 teaspoon
Coriander powder – 1 teaspoon
Black pepper powder – 1/2 teaspoon
Cumin seeds powder – 1/2 teaspoon
Fenugreek seeds powder – 1/2teaspoon
Coconut - half of a fresh coconut, scrapings
Onion - 2, medium size, chopped
Oil - 2 tablespoons
Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Curry leaves - 1 sprig, fresh
Salt - 1/2+1/2 teaspoon
Jaggery - 2 tablespoon, powdered

Method:

 Smear the turmeric powder and salt all over the karela rounds, keep aside for half an hour, and wash well in water. Add 3 cupfuls of water to a lemon-sized lump of tamarind and extract the juice. Bring this tamarind juice to the boil and add the washed bitter gourd rounds to it. Let it boil for 15 minutes, strain, and keep both karela rounds and boiled water separately. Grind the coconut and onions to a smooth paste. Heat a flat-bottomed vessel and pour in the oil. When smoking hot, add the mustard seeds to splutter, the remaining chopped onions, and curry leaves. When the onions turn limp, add the boiled karela and saute well for a minute. Pour in the coconut+onion paste and all other spice powders. Saute well for a minute. Now add the boiled tamarind water and salt. Adjust the thickness of the sauce by adding more water (1-2 cups) and boil for 10 minutes. Add the jaggery powder and simmer further till the sauce reaches a semi-thick honey-like consistency and the oil shines on the surface. Enjoy with plain boiled rice.