By Niveditha Kalyanaraman
November 18th, 2023
Image Credit: Cooking From Heart
Pitlai is one of the unique kuzhambu variety with full of flavor and taste. Though it's looks similar to Sambar, but there are few variations and the taste would be different. Usually this kuzhambu is made using Bittergourd or Brinjal, but you can use any vegetable. In addition to the vegetable, chick peas are also added to this kuzhambu. Here's the recipe for Andhra Style Pitlai.
Image Credit: Traditionally Modern Food
10 pieces bhindi or lady's fingers or okra, cut in one-inch pieces 2-3 tbsp oil to pan fry the bhindi ½ cup toor dal or pigeon peas or yellow split peas 1 tbsp ghee ½ tsp methi or fenugreek seeds 1 tsp rai or mustard seeds ½ tsp hing or asafetida 4 round red boriya chillies, 2 of them split open
1 tsp haldi or turmeric powder 1 tomato, grated 2 tsp grated ginger 1 tbsp imli paste ¼ cup grated fresh coconut 3 tsp sambar powder or rasam powder 2 tsp black pepper powder Salt, about 1 tsp 1 tbsp crushed peanuts
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Pan fry the bhindi for 5 to 8 minutes in a frying pan over medium heat flipping often. Keep aside. Boil the toor dal till mushy with a cup of water. Keep aside.
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Heat the ghee in a saucepan and add the methi and let it fry few seconds. Add the hing and mustard seeds and let them crackle. Then add the curry leaves and the red chillies and let them fry for a few seconds. Now add the dal, ginger, tomato, sambar powder, black pepper powder, haldi, crushed peanuts, coconut, salt, imli and about 2 cups water and bring to a boil.
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Add in the fried bhindi and coconut. Simmer over low heat for 5 minutes. Serve piping hot, over steamed rice, with sabzi, appalam and mango pickle.
Image Credit: Archana's Kitchen