Bitter gourd pickle / Thokku and Bitter gourd rice

Ingredients:

Bitter-gourds - 2 medium sized, sliced finely and de-seeded.
Tamarind pulp - 2 cups
Salt - as per taste
Chilli powder - 3 tbsp
Asafoetida powder - 1/4 tbsp
Jaggery - 1/4 cup
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 2 tbsp
Fenugreek seeds - 1 tbsp
Chana dal - 1/2 tbsp 
Curry leaves - 1/4 cup 

Method:

1) Take a bowl of water, add some salt, pinch of turmeric, bitter gourd pieces and allow it to soak for 2-3 hours.
2) After 3 hours, squeeze the water from the bitter gourd pieces and discard.
3) In a pan, dry roast 1 tbsp of mustard and 1 tbsp fenugreek seeds until golden brown.
4) Once mustard and fenugreek are cooled down, powder them in a dry grinder into fine powder.
5) Take a pan, add some oil followed by mustard, chana dal, curry leaves, asafoetida and then add the bitter gourd pieces.
6) When the bitter gourd is fried completely, add turmeric powder, salt, chilly powder, followed by tamarind pulp. Add water till it covers the bitter gourds.
7) Allow it to cook on a medium flame until the tamarind pulp starts to thicken.
8) At this stage, add the roasted and powdered mustard and fenugreek powder, Jaggery.
9) Let it cook again for 5-6 mins / until  you get a thick paste.

Bitter gourd Pickle / Thokku is ready to be served.
This can be mixed with cooked rice, to make tasty bitter gourd rice / Bath.

Note: 

1) Dessicated coconut can be added to the rice to increase the flavour.
2) To store the pickle / thokku for more days, use 1/2 cup sesame oil for cooking. It not only increases the taste, but also the shelf life of the pickle.
3) you can also fry some onions and add to the rice