Kakarakaya Vepudu (Bitter Melon Stir Fry - Andhra Style)

  
           Bitter Melon has its own health benefits as it is very good in lowering blood-sugar levels in diabetic patients. So here is a recipe called "Kakarakaya Vepudu" (Bitter Melon Fry) cooked with a medley of spices. This is an Andhra delicacy and tastes very delicious when mixed with hot steamed rice and a drizzle of some ghee. It can also be served as a side dish with either sambar-rice, curd-rice or chapattis. 

           The addition of sugar in this recipe cuts the bitterness to some extent thus making it very yummy. All the bitter melon lovers will simply enjoy relishing this amazing dish. So check out an easy step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 2 medium size bitter melon
• 2 onions, chopped
• 5- 6 garlic cloves
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1 tsp. urad dal (split black gram)
• 1 tbsp. chana dal (Bengal gram)
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp. red chili powder
• 1 tbsp. sugar

          Scrape the bitter melon and slice them finely. Add a tsp. of salt and keep aside for an hour. Wash well. Drain and keep aside.

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with mustard seeds. After it stops spluttering, add the urad dal, chana dal and asafoetida. Sauté till the dal changes colour.

          Add the onion, garlic and curry leaves. Sauté till light brown. Then add the bitter melon, salt and turmeric powder. Cover and keep frying on a medium flame till it is soft.

           Then add red chili powder and sugar and continue to fry further for a minute more. Serve with hot steamed rice and with some ghee drizzled over it

                    Scrape bitter melon & slice finely. Add a tsp. of salt & keep aside for an 
                    hour. Wash well. Drain and keep aside.

                    Heat oil & temper with mustard seeds. Then add urad dal, chana dal 
                    and asafoetida.  Sauté till the dal changes colour.

                                Add onion, garlic & curry leaves. Sauté till light brown. 

                    Add bitter melon, salt & turmeric powder. Cover & fry on a med. flame 
                     till soft.

                                 Then add red chili powder and give it a stir. 

 
                                  Add sugar & continue to fry for a minute more.

                             Serve with hot steamed rice and with some ghee drizzled over it.