Name: Potatoes, Bitter Gourd, and Peas in Sweet-Spiced Coconut Sauce
Yield: Serves 4 to 6 as a side dish, 2 to 4 as the main part of a vegetable meal
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: 1 cup coconut milk (about half a 14-ounce can); ½ cup water; Half a 10-ounce package of frozen peas; ½ teaspoon ground cumin; 1 tablespoon ground coriander; 1½ to 2 tablespoons coarse-grated or minced ginger; 2 or 3 small fresh chillis, such as Jalapeño, seeded and diced small; ½ teaspoon fennel seeds; 1½ tablespoons peanut or corn oil; 1½ pounds potatoes (preferably yellow-fleshed); ¾ teaspoon turmeric; ½ cup sliced shallots; About 1½ teaspoons kosher salt; 2 medium bitter gourds (6 ounces each)

Preparation info

Serves
4 to 6
as a side dish

Appears in

Vegetables from Amaranth to Zucchini

By Elizabeth Schneider

Published 2001

About

This combination of aromatics and coconut milk suits many vegetables, but bitter gourd adds unique base notes to the creamy mixture. Together, coconut and bitter gourd tame spices and heat, so the chillis and ginger become comparatively mild.

It’s not handy to use half a box of frozen peas, but more is too much. When you buy the box, squeeze it to be sure the peas are individually frozen, not melted into an icy block. Without defrosting, pour out half and return the rest to the free