‘Pitlai’ (பிட்ளை) is more or less like our regular tamil style ‘Aachuvitta Sambar’ which is prepared using either bittergourd or brinjal along with chickpeas. Unlike sambar, consistency of pitlai is very thick and can be served as a side dish to Idli/Dosa too. My maternal grandmother never adds Sambar Powder while preparing Pitlai. However there are times when my mom adds a teaspoon of Sambar Powder along with freshly ground spice paste.
Notes :
– Kala channa or brown chickpeas is ideally used while making pitlai
– You could substitue it with white chickpeas or green peas
– Generally coconut paste is only used to spice the ‘pitlai’.However we do add a teaspoon of sambar powder along with the paste.
– If you don’t have sambar powder add an extra red chilli & some coriander seeds
– Avarakkai (Indian Broad Beans) can be used instead of bittergourd,brinjal
| Prep Time | 10 minutes |
| Cook Time | 20 minutes |
| Servings |
people
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- 2 cups Tamarind water
- 1 cup toor dal pressure cooked
- 1/2 cup Chickpeas pressure cooked or canned
- 1/2 teaspoon jaggery
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds
- 1/2 tsp Jeera Seeds
- curry leaves
- 2 tbsps Channa Dal
- 2 tbsps Coriander Seeds
- 1/2 tsp Black Peppercorns
- 2 Chillies Dried Red
- 1/2 cup coconut Grated
Ingredients
To Roast & Grind
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- Heat a teaspoon of oil in a pan. Add channa dal,black pepper corns and saute for a minute
- Once the dal turns golden brown add red chillies,coriander seeds and continue sauteing.
- Later add coconut and saute for a minute. Now grind this to a paste by adding little water
- Pressure cook toor dal and keep it aside
- Clean bittergourd by removing their seeds and chop them into round pieces
- In the same pan again heat the remaining oil and add mustard seeds,jeera seeds,curry leaves.Let them splutter.
- Add the chopped bitter gourd pieces & saute it for a minute
- Add salt,turmeric and 1/4 cup water. Let the bitter gourd get cooked
- After 4-5 minutes add tamarind extract, sambar powder. Leave the mixture to boil for 10-12 minutes in low flame
- Later add coconut paste,pressure cooked toor dal & boiled chickpeas
- Add 1/4 cup water, jaggery,adjust salt and let the pitlai boil for about 10 minutes
- Once it starts to thicken turn off the flame & serve pitlai with hot rice
I prepared cauliflower pakoda as side dish today along with pitlai. Shall upload step wise pictures for pitlai & the recipe of cauliflower pakoda soon