HOW TO PREPARE KAKARAKAYA OR BITTER GOURD:1 Wash bitter gourd and cut in circles. If seeds at the center are mature, discard them.

Oil fried:

2 Heat oil for deep frying and slowly add bitter gourd circles. After a few seconds, bitter gourd slices change to light golden color.

3 Keep them aside until gravy is prepared.

Air fried version:

2 Apply tsp oil to bitter gourd circles and place them in an air fryer basket.

3 Place the crisp lid trivet in the inner pot of pressure cooker.

4 Set the mealthy crisp lid or any air fryer on 375 f for 15 minutes. Check on them after 10 minutes and toss them around. Timings vary with the thickness of bitter gourd slices.

How to prepare tamarind paste:1 Take tamarind and water in a bowl. Microwave it for 30 seconds.

2 Extract the juice from tamarind and filter the pulp.

How to prepare kakarakaya pulusu:1 Add oil in a pan, when oil is hot enough add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, hing or asafoetida, slit green chilis, curry leaves and stir for a second.

2 Immediately add onion and saute it until it turns a light golden color. Then add ginger garlic paste and cook for a few seconds.

3 After that add red chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, salt. Mix it together and add oil fried or air-fried bitter gourd circles. Cook for a few seconds.

4 Add tamarind paste, water, sesame powder, and jaggery. Give it a stir and let it simmer on low-medium flame for 10 – 15 minutes.

5 This gravy goes well with rice and roti. Pulusu always tastes better the next day.