Karela with coated spices
Karela is a nutritional vegetable best cooked with its bitterness. This karela with coated spices recipe is universally Indian. This is a fusion recipe taken from various states and experimented upon for best taste and nutritional values.
Equipment
- 1 Pan to fry
- 1 Ladle to fry
Ingredients
Raw Ingredients
- 250 gms Karela or bitter gourd Soft - about 3 medium sized ones.
- 75 gms Cabbage about 1X2X1 inches
- 1 inch Ginger
- 2 pieces Green Chillies
- 1 sprig Curry Leaves
- 1 tbsp Fresh Coriander leaves
Condiments
- 3 tbsp Organic Oil Peanut, Sunflower or as preferred.
- 1/2 Tsp Mustard Seeds
- 1 pinch Asafoetida Hing
- 3 piece Dried Red Chilli
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
- 2 tbsp Jaggery Grated. Avoid if diabetic.
- 1 tsp Gram Flour Besan
- 1 tsp Salt Himalayan Pink Salt
To Powder
- 1 tsp Sesame Seeds
- 1 tsp Peanuts Raw
- 1/2 tsp Carom Seeds Ajwain.
Instructions
- Wash and cut the Karela into roundels, about 1/4 inch thick. Finely chop the Cabbage.250 gms Karela or bitter gourd, 75 gms Cabbage
- Cut ginger into juveniles. Cut green chillies into 1 inch pieces after dissecting them length-wise.1 inch Ginger, 2 pieces Green Chillies
- Heat the pan, add oil. After it heats up, add mustard seeds.1/2 Tsp Mustard Seeds, 3 tbsp Organic Oil
- After they splutter, add the carom seeds, asafoetida and 1 red chilli after breaking it.1 pinch Asafoetida, 3 piece Dried Red Chilli, 1/2 tsp Carom Seeds
- Add curry leaves and ginger, fry for 15 seconds and add the green chillies.1 sprig Curry Leaves
- Fry for 15 seconds and add finely chopped cabbage.75 gms Cabbage
- Fry for a minute, add the bitter gourd pieces and fry on high flame for a minute.250 gms Karela or bitter gourd
- Add turmeric and salt, lower the flame to medium and cook with a lid for 5 minutes.1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder, 1 tsp Salt
- Meanwhile dry roast sesame seeds, peanuts and the rest of the dry red chillies, cool them and grind them into a coarse powder.1 tsp Sesame Seeds, 1 tsp Peanuts, 3 piece Dried Red Chilli
- Check the pan, break the edge of a bitter gourd to check if it's cooked. If not mix, cover and cook for another minute.
- When almost cooked, add jaggery. Cover and cook for a minutes. Add the gram flour and sesame/peanut/chilli powder. Adjust as per your taste and the amount of oil used. Mix well, cover and cook for a minute.2 tbsp Jaggery, 1 tsp Gram Flour, 1 tsp Sesame Seeds, 1 tsp Peanuts, 3 piece Dried Red Chilli
- Garnish with fresh cut coriander.1 tbsp Fresh Coriander leaves
Notes
This recipe of karela with coated spices is highly aromatic and tongue teasing. Enjoy it with freshly cooked rice, rotis or parathas. My recommendation is rice with a dollop of ghee to add to the flavour. While eating this dish, it will taste best when broken with fingers and mixed with rice.
You might think I added too much oil in this karela with coated spices recipe. But, that is the best way to cook it. If you don not want to add that much oil, you can steam the karela pieces until 3/4 cooked and add to the condiment fry. If you do this, it will cook faster and with less oil, probably 1/2 as suggested. The only downside is that it will compromise the taste. Your call.
Jaggery is optional but enhances the taste. If you are a diabetic, adding jaggery will neutralise the anti-diabetic effects of this karela with coated spice recipe.