Pavakkai Pitlai (Rama Soundararajan Contribution) or puli kootu

Ingredients:

1. Pavakkai or bitter melon
2. Channa Dhal - 1 handfuls (Kadala paruppu)
3. Toor dhal boiled - 1 small cup
4. Tamarind water
5. Salt to taste 
6. Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
7. Curry leaves 
8. Sugar - optional - 1 teaspoon
9. asaefoetida - 1/4 spoon

For Grinding 

1. Coconut scrapings - 1 handful
2. Dhaniya or coriander seeds - 1 handful
3. Red chilly - 3 pieces or add more for making it a spicy dish
4. Channa dhal - 1 handful
5. Seasonings with: fried mustard seeds, fried urad dhal 1 spoon and curry leaves

For grinding:

• Fry 2 pieces asoefoetida (or 1/4 spoon powder), coriander seeds, red chilly and 1 handful channa dhal till it turns red
• Add grated coconut 1 handful to the fried mixture and grind all these in the mixer. Add tamarind water if available for grinding

Procedure:

• Cut pavakkai or bitter melon into small pieces after taking off the seeds. You can leave the seeds on as it is good for health.
• Boil pavakki in water to make it less bitter and drain the water. (No draining necessary for other vegetables like pooshanikai pumpkin).
• Pour cold water over pavakkai and wash completely.
• Put tamarind water in the pavakkai till the vegetable is completely immersed in the tamarind water.
• Add salt, turmeric powder, 1 handful of channa dhal, curry leaves to the boiling mixture and boil nicely
• If you have boiled toor dhal, add it to the boiling mixture (can avoid if you do not have this)
• Add 1 spoon sugar
• Add the ground items to the boiling mixture 
• Season the dish with fried mustard seeds, 1 spoon urad dhal and curry leaves.

You can also use the same recipe with Chick peas and Pumpkin for puli kootu. You dont have to drain the boiled vegetable water for this vegetable