Topic started by Shoba (@ bb220-255-37-67.singnet.com.sg) on Tue Mar 30 23:46:04 EST 2004.
All times in EST +10:30 for IST.

Not from life :-) but from small brinjals!

Everytime I make a stir fry dish with small brinjals, there's a bitter taste. I tried adding tamarind..but that makes the dish soggy.

Any ideas?

Thanks!
Shoba

Responses:

• From: Andal Balu (@ user-11fa7k9.dsl.mindspring.com) on: Wed Mar 31 17:31:59 EST 2004
  
  Shoba,
  
  Do not boil the brinjal. Most of the vegetables available in USA have too much water in them. so add little oil in a thick pan and saute the brinjal and then add the tamarind paste. It won't get mushy.
  
  
• From: Shoba (@ fcomet.singnet.com.sg) on: Fri Apr 2 22:45:49 EST 2004
  
  Hi Andal!
  
  Thanks for responding. I wanted to know how to remove the bitterness from small brinjals while cooking, especially when sauteed. Any tips would be greatly appreciated, thanks!
  
  Shoba
  
  
• From: Senthil (@ adsl-65-65-26-70.dsl.hstntx.swbell.net) on: Sun Apr 4 11:10:28 EDT 2004
  
  Hi Shoba,
  
  I agree with you that many small brinjal varieties available in US are slightly bitter in taste. There is not much we can do about it to change it (I mean if you add anything to mask the bitterness that takes out the real flavor in my opinion). I learned to adjust to that taste. Other options would be try the stir fry with other brinjal varieties - green brinjals available in Chinese/Hong Kong markets or the big purple eggplants (Italian).
  
  Regards,
  Senthil
  
  
• From: charumathy (@ 61.11.10.56) on: Fri Apr 9 01:32:40 EDT 2004
  
  Bitterness can be removed by adding a small amount of jaggery to the dish.
  
  
• From: di (@ 12.46.199.130) on: Fri Apr 9 15:33:20 EDT 2004
  
  can anyone plz suggest methods to remove bitterness from bitter melon/gourd(parikka or pavakka)?
  
  
• From: R (@ bgp530243bgs.ebrnsw01.nj.comcast.net) on: Fri Apr 9 17:06:30 EDT 2004
  
  If u filter the water of cooked pavakka, and wash with another water(if u r not keen in vitamins)then, will not find too much bitterness.
  
  I read that if u fry the veg., in sesame oil, then the bitterness may not be there, have no experience.
  
  One suggestion-to me, that bitterness will only enhance the taste of pavakkai pitlai.
  
  
• From: Shoba (@ pcproxy2.singnet.com.sg) on: Fri Apr 9 23:39:10 EDT 2004
  
  Senthil, Charumathy, thanks for your suggestions.
  
  Di: Leave cut (sliced, diced, split-which ever form the recipe calls for_ paavakka in salt water for about 1/2 hour. Drain and cook. The bitterness has a lot of goodness in it..but this way, the initial 'shock' of the bitterness will be reduced some what.
  
  Shoba
  
  
• From: di (@ 12.46.199.130) on: Thu Apr 15 17:33:15 EDT 2004
  
  hi R and Shoba,
  thanks for the suggestions...will try it out!
  
  
• From: vaithegi (@ 210.19.34.201) on: Fri Apr 16 05:13:05 EDT 2004
  
  bittergourd suppose to be bitter and thats why it is called bittergourd. if u don't like the bittergourd, go and eat banana. okay senthil ....
  
  
• From: suemani (@ ool-182f9167.dyn.optonline.net) on: Sun Apr 25 00:06:00 EDT 2004
  
  HI All,
  All the vegetable that have bitter taste,either before cooking or after cooking will taste better or less bitter if soaked in salt water or in tamrind water.
  
  1. Pavakkai can be washed , cut and soaked in salt water for 1/2 - 1.00 hour before cooking.
  
  2. Methi leaves also has bitter taste. they can be washed and soaked in salt water then used for cooking, tastes good and healthy too.
  
  3. Small Brinjals: cut the brinjals and sprinkle some salt on it, leave it on tray. You will notice that it will start seeping with water wash the brinjals and then cook . this way you need not use lot of oil to cook either.
  hope this answers all your queries.
  
  

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