Healthy Bharwa Karela (Stuffed Bitter Gourd)

Name: Healthy Bharwa Karela (Stuffed Bitter Gourd)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 80 min
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 8 pieces Bitter Gourd (8 Karela (Bitter Gourd/ Pavakkai)); 3 tbsp Mustard Oil (Oil coconut oil or mustard oil as required (maximum 3 tablespoons)); 1 tsp Kashmiri Red Chili Powder (1 teaspoon Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder); 1 tsp Garam Masala (1 teaspoon Garam masala powder); ½ tsp Amchur (1/2 teaspoon Amchur (Dry Mango Powder)); 0 pieces Table Salt (Salt to taste); 1 piece Red Onion (1 Onion (red or white)); 1 piece Tomato (1 Tomato); ¼ cup Mango (1/4 cup Mango (Raw) chopped); 1 piece Green Chili (1 Green Chilli); 4 cloves Garlic (4 cloves Garlic); 1 piece Ginger (1 inch Ginger peeled); ½ tsp Turmeric Root (1/2 inch Fresh turmeric root or 1 teaspoon turmeric powder — up to 1); 10 pieces Peanut (10 Raw Peanuts (Moongphali)); 2 tsp Coriander Seed (2 teaspoons Coriander (Dhania) Seeds); 2 pieces Dried Red Chili (2 Dry Red Chillies); 0 pieces Tamarind (Tamarind marble sized); ½ cup Coconut (1/2 cup Fresh coconut grated)

A traditional Indian stuffed bitter gourd (karela) recipe where tenderized bitter gourds are filled with a spicy masala paste made from ground and roasted ingredients, then shallow-fried until browned.

80 minIndian

Servings4

Add to grocery list

Plan it in the app to put it on your week.

Vegetarian
Vegan
Gluten Free
Dairy Free
Pescatarian
Halal

Ingredients

For 4 servings

Bitter Gourd8 pieces · 8 Karela (Bitter Gourd/ Pavakkai)
Mustard Oil3 tbsp · Oil coconut oil or mustard oil as required (maximum 3 tablespoons)
Kashmiri Red Chili Powder1 tsp · 1 teaspoon Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder
Garam Masala1 tsp · 1 teaspoon Garam masala powder
Amchur½ tsp · 1/2 teaspoon Amchur (Dry Mango Powder)
Table Salt0 pieces · Salt to taste
Red Onion1 piece · 1 Onion (red or white)
Tomato1 piece · 1 Tomato
Mango¼ cup · 1/4 cup Mango (Raw) chopped
Green Chili1 piece · 1 Green Chilli
Garlic4 cloves · 4 cloves Garlic
Ginger1 piece · 1 inch Ginger peeled
Turmeric Root½ tsp · 1/2 inch Fresh turmeric root or 1 teaspoon turmeric powder — up to 1
Peanut10 pieces · 10 Raw Peanuts (Moongphali)
Coriander Seed2 tsp · 2 teaspoons Coriander (Dhania) Seeds
Dried Red Chili2 pieces · 2 Dry Red Chillies
Tamarind0 pieces · Tamarind marble sized
Coconut½ cup · 1/2 cup Fresh coconut grated

Make it mine in the app

Steps

1Scrape the outer skin of the bitter gourds and make a deep vertical cut in the center leaving the base portion intact. Gently scoop out the seeds and the pith and set it aside.
2Rub the bitter gourds with salt, inside out.
3Mix about 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the pith and seeds and allow it to rest for at least half an hour. Squeeze excess water and wash and drain them. Pat the bitter gourds with a kitchen towel.
4Grind onion, tomato, raw mango, green chilli, garlic, ginger and fresh turmeric root into a smooth paste (Ground Masala).
5Roast raw peanuts, coriander seeds, dry red chillies, and tamarind in a pan until fragrant (Dry Masala).
6Grind the roasted dry masala ingredients coarsely with the fresh grated coconut. Keep aside.
7Heat a pan with a little oil. Add the ground tomato-onion masala and the pith of the karela. Cook for 8-10 minutes until excess water is absorbed.
8Mix the coarsely ground dry masala, Kashmiri red chilli powder, dry mango powder, and garam masala into the cooked mixture. Add salt to taste and adjust spices.
9Spoon the prepared masala into each processed bitter gourd.
10Heat 1-2 tablespoons of oil in a wide pan. Gently place the stuffed bitter gourds in the pan and shallow fry, turning occasionally, until all sides are uniformly browned and cooked through.
11Serve the Healthy Bharwa Karela (Indian Masala Stuffed Bitter Gourd) hot.