Karela Recipe: Quick and Easy North Indian Dish

wellhealthorganic.com Karela Recipe: This recipe offers a delightful Punjabi-style bitter gourd curry enhanced with lightly caramelized onions, dry mango powder, and a blend of ground spices. It offers a quick, nutritious, and straightforward approach to incorporating bitter gourd into your meals.

Karela Recipe

• Preparation Time: 10 minutes
• Cooking Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Cuisine: North Indian
• Course: Side Dish
• Dietary Considerations: Gluten-Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
• Difficulty Level: Moderate

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons oil
• 250 grams bitter gourd (about 5 small to medium-sized karela) or 2 cups chopped bitter gourd
• 200 grams onions (about 2 large onions) or 1.5 cups thinly sliced onions
• ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
• ½ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
• Salt, to taste
• ½ teaspoon Garam Masala
• ½ to 1 teaspoon dry mango powder (amchur powder), to taste

Also Read: Coconut Burfi

Instructions:

Preparation:

1. Rinse the bitter gourd and peel it. Then, chop it into small pieces.
2. Remove the seeds while chopping. For small and tender bitter gourd, the seeds may not be removable.
3. If the bitter gourd is exceptionally bitter, sprinkle some salt on the chopped pieces. Mix well and let it sit for 15 to 20 minutes. Afterward, squeeze the bitter gourd and rinse it thoroughly with water to reduce bitterness.

Making the Bitter Gourd Curry:

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a kadai. Any neutral-flavored oil can be used.
2. Once the oil is hot, reduce the heat to low and add the chopped bitter gourd.
3. Sauté the bitter gourd in the oil over low to medium-low heat, stirring often.
4. After 4 to 5 minutes of sautéing, add thinly sliced onions and mix well.
5. Sprinkle ground turmeric, Kashmiri red chili powder, and salt according to taste. Mix thoroughly.
6. Continue to sauté over low heat, stirring often. Add a little water if the onions or bitter gourd start sticking to the pan. Deglaze the pan as needed, ensuring nothing sticks.
7. Sauté the bitter gourd curry for 10 to 12 minutes until both the bitter gourd and onions are cooked. The onions should turn golden and caramelize during this process.
8. Once the onions have lightly caramelized and the bitter gourd pieces are tender, add dry mango powder and garam masala. Mix well and then remove from heat.

Also Read: Kanchipuram Idli

Serving Suggestions:

• Serve the bitter gourd curry with phulka, paratha, and a bowl of fresh plain or sweetened curd.
• This curry also pairs excellently as a side dish with dal rice or kadhi chawal.
• Optionally, garnish with coriander leaves for added freshness.
• This dish is suitable for packing in lunch boxes with a side of paratha or roti.

Notes:

• To reduce the bitterness of bitter gourd, sprinkle salt on the chopped pieces and let them sit for 20 to 30 minutes before rinsing.
• Avoid consuming bitter gourd seeds, especially during pregnancy, as they are reportedly toxic. Similarly, the red arils covering the seeds may cause illness in children.
• For a tangier taste, increase the amount of dry mango powder or add lemon juice when adding garam masala powder.
• This recipe can be easily doubled or tripled to accommodate larger servings.