Batter Fried Stuffed Bitter Gourd

            If you are a Karela / Bitter Gourd lover, then you will definitely relish this dish. These yummy batter fried stuffed karelas are best had as a side dish with either rice or chapattis. If you are a bit of an adventurous type, have them as appetizers with any chutney. 

           If you can get hold of the smaller variety, that would be absolutely perfect for this recipe. So go ahead and give it a try by checking out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it and enjoy them as per your choice.

• 2 long Bitter Gourd / 4-5 small ones
• salt to taste
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1 tbsp. chopped garlic
• 2 tbsp. fresh grated coconut
• 1 tsp. roasted coriander powder
• 1 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 2 tbsp. Kashmiri red chili powder
• 1 tbsp. flax seed (opt)
• 1 tsp. tamarind paste
• 2 tbsp. roasted chickpea flour
• 1/2 cup besan (gram flour)
• pinch of salt
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp. red chili powder
• oil to deep fry

          Scrape the karelas / bitter gourds and scoop out the pulp. Cut each into 3-4 pieces. Apply salt to them and to the scraped mix and leave them aside for 20-25 minutes. 

          Make a batter with besan, turmeric powder, pinch of salt and red chili powder with required quantity of water. The batter should not be too thick or too thin. Keep aside.

          Wash the scraped mix well under running water and transfer onto a kitchen towel. Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a pan and sauté the garlic till they slightly changes colour. 

          Now add the coconut and sauté till light brown. Then add the scraped karela skin and the pulp along with all the dry spices. Continue to fry on a medium flame for 4-5 minutes.

          Add the tamarind paste. Mix well and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Switch off the flame and add the roasted chickpea flour. Toss well, cover and keep aside to cool down.

          Fill each of the karela pieces with the stuffing and keep aside. Heat remaining oil for deep frying. Take the stuffed karela and coat them in the batter and gently drop them in the hot oil.

          Deep fry them in batches on a medium flame till golden in colour on all sides. Drain on a kitchen towel. 

          Serve as a side dish with either rice / chapatti or as appetizers with any chutney.

                    Scrape karelas & scoop out the pulp. Cut each into 3-4 pieces. Apply salt 
                    to them & to the scraped mix & leave aside for 20-25 minutes. Wash them 
                    well under running water & transfer onto a kitchen towel. 

                 Heat 2 tbsp. oil & sauté garlic till it changes colour. Add coconut & sauté till 
                 light brown. Add scraped karela peel & pulp & all dry spices. Fry on med. 
                 flame for 4-5 min. Add tamarind paste. Mix well & sauté for 2-3 min. Switch
                 off flame & add roasted chickpea flour. Toss well, cover & keep aside to cool.

                                  Fill each karela pieces with the stuffing & keep aside. 

                 Make a batter with besan, turmeric powder, pinch of salt & red chili powder
                 with some water. The batter should not be too thick or too thin. 

                    Heat remaining oil. Take the stuffed karela & coat them in the batter &
                    drop in hot oil. Deep fry on med. flame till golden in colour on all sides. 

                                 Drain on a kitchen towel.

                    Serve them hot as a tea-time snack or as a side dish with either rice or
                    chapati......

                           ......or cut them in slices & serve as appetizers with any chutney.

Bharwan Karela (Stuffed Bitter Gourd)

          
          If you are a Karela / Bitter Gourd lover, then you will definitely relish this dish. This yummy stuffed karelas are best had with steamed rice and drizzled with some ghee. You may also enjoy as a side dish with chapatti. If you can get hold of the smaller variety, that would be absolutely perfect for this recipe. So go ahead and give it a try by following an easy step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it and enjoy for lunch / dinner.

• 4-5 small Bitter Gourds 
• salt to taste
• 3 tbsp. oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1" ginger, chopped
• 1 tsp. garlic, chopped
• 2 green chilies, chopped
• 1 tsp. roasted coriander powder
• 1 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1 tsp. garam masala powder
• 2 tbsp. roasted peanuts, coarsely ground

          Scrape the karelas and scoop out the pulp and seeds. Apply salt to them and to the scraped mix and leave them aside for 10-15 minutes. Wash them well under running water and wipe dry with a kitchen towel. 

          Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a pan and sauté the onion, garlic, ginger and green chilies till light brown.

          Add all the dry spices (except salt) and give it a mix. Then add the scraped karela and the pulp. Sauté on a medium flame for 4-5 minutes.

         Now add the coarsely ground peanuts and salt to taste. Give it a toss and switch off the flame. Cover and keep aside to cool down.

          Fill each of the karela pieces with the stuffing and tie with a string. Heat remaining oil and fry the stuffed karelas on a low flame. 

          Then cover and cook till they turn soft. Keep flipping them over at intervals. When done, serve with rice, drizzled with some ghee or enjoy as a side dish with chapatti.

                                 Scrape the karelas and scoop out the pulp and seeds. 

                                  Apply salt to them & leave them aside for 10-15 minutes.

                Heat 1 tbsp. oil & sauté onion, garlic, ginger & green chilies till light brown.

   Add all the dry spices (except salt) and give it a mix. 

Add the scraped karela & the pulp. Sauté on a med. flame for 4-5 min.

                     Add coarsely ground peanuts & salt to taste. Give it a toss & keep aside

                     to cool down.

                         Fill each of the karela pieces with the stuffing and tie with a string. 

Heat remaining oil & fry the stuffed karelas on a low flame. Cover & cook till done. 

Keep flipping them over at intervals. 

Serve with rice, drizzled with some ghee or enjoy as a side dish with chapatti.

Spicy Baked Karela (Bittergourd)

          For all the Karela (Bitter gourd) lovers - Here's something for you. A spicy baked karela fry. So no more deep frying. A healthy way of having your favourite veggie. Do try out this recipe and enjoy with hot steamed rice, green chilies / fried red chilies and a drizzle of some ghee as accompaniment. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 2-3 medium size karela (bitter melon)
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• pinch of turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. vinegar

          Cut the karelas into thick roundels. Wash and pat dry. In a bowl, mix together salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder and vinegar. 

         Rub this spice paste all over the karela pieces and keep aside for 5-10 minutes. Arrange them on a baking tray lined with butter paper. 

          Bake in a preheated microwave oven for 35-40 minutes at 200 degrees C. by flipping it over midway. 

          Enjoy with hot steamed rice with green chilies and a drizzle of some ghee.

                    Cut karelas into thick roundels. Wash & pat dry. Mix salt, turmeric powder, 
                    red chili powder & vinegar. 

                       Rub this spice paste all over karela pieces & keep aside for 5-10 min. 

                                Arrange them on a baking tray lined with butter paper. 

                      Bake in a preheated oven for 35-40 min. at 200 degrees C. by flipping it
                      over midway. 

                    Enjoy with hot steamed rice with green chilies & a drizzle of some ghee.

Grated Karela (Bitter Melon) Fry

          Karela or Bitter Melon has its own health benefits as it is considered to lower blood-sugar levels in diabetic patients. There are many versions to it and it differs from one region to the other.

          Here is my version of a simple karela fry cooked in mustard oil. To reduce the bitterness to some extent, squeeze the juice off from the grated karela and cook with just a tempering of kalonji, red chilies, asafoetida, garlic, salt and turmeric powder. It is best enjoyed with plain steamed rice and ghee. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 500 gms, karela (Bitter Gourd / Melon), grated
• 2 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1 tsp. kalonji (nigella seeds)
• 2-3 dry red chilies
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida (hing)
• 6-7 garlic cloves, chopped
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. ghee to serve

          Heat oil in  a pan and temper with kalonji and whole red chilies. Saute for a few seconds. Add the asafoetida followed by the garlic. 

          Sauté till the garlic changes colour. Keep aside 1 tsp. of the tempering to garnish. Now add the karela, salt and turmeric powder. 

          Fry on a low flame till it is cooked and dry. Garnish with the remaining tempering. Serve hot with plain steamed rice and ghee.




Note - The grated karela can be squeezed to get rid of the bitterness to some extent.

                                  Grate karela & keep aside.

                                  Heat oil & temper with kalonji & red chilies.

                  Add asafoetida & garlic. Sauté till it changes colour. Keep aside 1 tsp. of the 
                  tempering to garnish.

                                 Add karela, salt & turmeric powder. Fry till dry & done.

                           Garnish with remaining tempering & serve with steamed rice.

Karela / Bitter Melon 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). This is an Andhra delicacy and tastes very delicious when mixed with hot steamed rice and 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. For the spiciness I have added kura karam podi (gun powder), which is a local chili powder, but in the absence of it increase the amount of red chili powder. So check out an easy step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 2 big karela , sliced
• 3-4 tbsp. oil
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1 tbsp. chana dal (Bengal Gram lentil)
• 1 tsp. urad dal (split black gram)
• 2 sprig curry leaves
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2-3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 green chilies, slit
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp. kura karam podi (opt)
• 1/2 tbsp. red chili powder
• 1 sugar cube / 1 tsp. sugar
• 2 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Marinate the karela pieces with a pinch of salt and turmeric powder for 10 minutes. Squeeze out the water and wash well. Keep aside.

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with mustard seeds, chana dal and urad dal. Sauté for a few seconds and add the onion, garlic, curry leaves, green chilies and asafoetida.

          Sauté till the onion is translucent. Add the karela and keep frying on high flame for 4-5 minutes. 

          Then add salt and turmeric powder and cook, covered, on low flame till soft. Stir at intervals. Add the red chili powder, sugar and kura karam podi. 

          Continue to sauté, uncovered till completely dry and almost crisp. Add coriander leaves and mix well. Serve as a side dish with rice or chapattis.

                                Temper oil with mustard seeds, chana dal & urad dal.

                                Add onion, garlic, green chilies, asafoetida & curry leaves.

                                Add bitter melon & fry on high flame for 4-5 minutes.

                                 Add salt & turmeric powder & cook, covered.

                                Add red chili powder, kura karam powder & sugar.

                                When done, add coriander leaves & mix well.

                                  Serve as a side dish with rice or chapattis.