Ingredients :

1. paavakkai — 1 medium size

2. toor dhal — 1/2  cup

3. tamarind —  a small lemon size for cooking( Soak  for half an hour )+ small lemon size for soaking the paavakkai.

4. coconut scrape — 1 full laddle

5. dhania — 1 and a half tsp

6. channa dhal — half tsp

7. vendhayam — 1/4 tsp

8. urid dhal – 1/2 tsp

9. red chillies — 6 to 7 nos.

10. curry leaves — few

11. mustard seeds — 1 tsp

12. oil  – to temper ( 5 to 6 tsps )

13. salt — according to taste

14. jaggery —  (grated) 2 tsps

Method :         Slit the paavakkai lengthwise, and cut this to 1/4 inch thickness, wash it thoroughly after cutting and soak this in tamarind juice for half an hour. Leave it aside.

Now, cook the toor dhal after washing it, in pressure cooker till soft. Keep it aside.  Take a pan with 4 tsps of oil, heat it , add the dhania, channa dhal, urid dhal, vendhayam, red chillies, and fry this till golden brown. Transfer this fried items to a bowl and again heat the kadai without oil, add the coconut scrape, fry for a minute and switch off the stove now. After the fried items is cooled, grind everything to a smooth paste with enough water. Keep it aside.

Now take a big vessel, squeeze the tamarind to get one tumbler of juice, and add the juice to the vessel and heat it. Bring this to boil. Now again wash the  paavakkai, which you have put in tamarind juice separately, in plain water (Do not use this tamarind juice again ). Then add this to the boiling tamarind juice, cook till the paavakkai is done. Then add the cooked toor dhal, mix well . cook for 2 minutes, then add the grounded paste, mix well , and again cook for 5 minutes, add enough water according to your needed consistency, cook for 5 more minutes, add the salt, jaggery, few curry leaves while cooking and switch off the stove now. Now temper this with only mustard seeds.  Paavakkai pittalai is ready to serve.