STUFFED KARELA | BITTER GOURD

Tweet

Long back in 2011, I had posted a recipe of Crispy Karela in my blog, whose pics were taken from Mobile, I am planing to change the old pics, next time when I will prepare crispy karela, I will replace the pics. Now coming to the current recipe , this recipe is one of my favorite because of the health benefits of the main ingredient in it. Now it is in season, you can easily try this recipe. Ingredients required and the detailed instructions of the recipe are as follows

Ingredients:
Karela : 250 gms
Onions: 200gms
Green chillies: 5-6
Salt : for rubbing on karela and for taste.
Spices (to be ground to powder)
Fenugreek seeds(methi dana) : ½ teaspoon
Funnel seeds: 2 teaspoon
Onion seeds or kalaunji : ¼ tea spoon
(dry roast all the three masalas on tawa till aroma arise and grind to a fine powder.)
Coriander powder: 2 tablespoon
Garam masala powder: ¼ teaspoon
Raw mangoes: 2(peeled & grated)
Red chilli powder: 1 teaspoon
Green chilies: 5-6
Garlic: 15-20 pods (crushed)
Oil : 3 tablespoon(2 for roasting masala & 1 tablespoon one for frying karelas)
Method:
Scrape or peel karelas, make a lengthwise slit on each karela and scoop out all the seeds and pulp. Rub salt over them and sprinkle some salt to the seeds and pulp which you have scooped out. I usually do this process a night before when I have to cook them in morning.Placing them covered overnight in refrigerator . If you are making this in morning you have to rub salt 2 hours before cooking.
Peel and roughly chop onions, grind them for 4-5 seconds this will crush the onions, you don’t have to make puree of it.
Wash thoroughly the seeds and pulp of karelas and grind them.
Heat 2 tablespoon of oil in a pan, add crushed onions roast till golden brown in color, add crushed garlic, roast for a minute or two, add red chilli powder sprinkle 1 tablespoon of water over it, this causes the natural color of red chillies to come out, now add grinded seeds and pulp of karela, coriander powder, grounded powder of fenugreek , funnel and onion seeds mix well and roast for 4-5 minutes, stirring continuously on medium heat. If the mixture is dry you can add one teaspoon of water, Finally add salt and grated raw mangoes, mix well cover the lid and cook for 2-3 minutes on low heat, I don’t use turmeric in stuffing as the golden color of the dish changes to yellowish. If you want you can add. Remove the mixture from the pan, let it cool completely, add garam masala powder to it.
Wash karela under the running water throughly, and squeeze all the water from them, . Stuff 2-2 ½ teaspoon mixture in karelas, wrap the thread in order to secure stuffing., slit the green chillies length wise ,stuff some mixture in green chilies too.
Now in a flat pan( so that all karelas can be cooked in one batch.) heat remaining one tablespoon of oil. spread all the karela and chillies over it, for first 5-7 minutes cook on a high flame as they start changing the color to pinkish gently turn them, cover the lid and let them cook for 5-6 minutes on low heat. Turn once again so that they can easily cooked from all sides.You can sprinkle few spoons of water over it. You have to cook till the outer skin is tender and soft.
Tips:
You can prepare roasted masala a night before too, this will save time.
Entire taste of the dish depends upon the proper roasting of stuffing, so please devote time in cooking.