Bitter Gourd Masala Curry

Ingredients

2 medium karela
2 flakes of garlic
1/2 tsp. garam masala
1/2 tsp.red chilli powder
1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
Salt to taste
3 tbsp. oil
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds

Method

1. First soak karela in salt-water(1 glass of water and 1 tbsp of salt) for 1/2-N-hour.
2. After 1/2-N-hour, cut karela into circular thin rings. Chop garlic.
3. Heat oil in a heavy pan.
4. Add cumin seeds, allow to splutter.
5. Add garlic, stir till pink .
6. Now add karela rings and mix.
7. Add red chilli powder,masala,turmeric powder and salt.
8. Add little water and keep stirring after few mins.
9. Cook for 10-15 mins on gentle flame.
10. Serve hot with rotis,parathas or rice.

Karela in Gravy

Ingredients

1. Take 2-3 Karelas
2. Salt according to taste
3.Vegetable oil for cooking
4. 1 to 1-1/2 cup of water
5. Black pepper.

Method :

1. Have Karela's cut in between
2. Add salt in the filing . Keep aside for 10-15 minutes
3. Fry the karelas in deep oil.
4. Remove them till they turn crispy and little brownish.
5. Take a hollow vessel , add some oil and add the fried Karelas to this oil.
6. Now add some water according to quantity of Karela's.
7. When the water starts boiling , cover the vessel with a lid and cook it on slow flame for about 10 minutes.
8. Add black pepper to this.
9. Eat with khicadi or chapatti.

stuffed Paneer Karela

Ingredients

Karela- 5 nos.(Peeled , washed & Deepfried)
Paneer- 250 gms
Onion - 1 medium
Tomatoe - 1 medium
Oil for Deep frying
Salt to taste
Red Chillie pwdr-As spicy u want
Turmeric pwder- 1/4 tsp
Corriander leaves - 1/2 bunch
Garam Masala- 1/2 tsp

Method:

1. Crumble the paneer & add to it the spices.(Salt & red pepper)
2. Now fill the Karelas with this Paneer.
3. Take little oil in Karahi & fry Chopped onions till transparent.
4. Now add chopped tomatoes & fry for just a min.
5. Add the dry spices in the tomatoes (salt, pepper, turmeric)
6. Add the stuffed Karelas to the Karahi & mix well ..make sure the stuffing doesn't come out. If there little paneer left put it in along with Karelas.
7. Let it be on medium. Fire for 10 mins. Fold in occasionally.
8. Now add chopped corriander & Garam masala & serve hot with any Dals/curries.

Dahi Karela

Ingredients

Medium sized Karela - Half Kg.
Dahi (curd) - Half cup
Onions (medium sized, cut length wise) - Three
Tomatoes (medium sized, cut to small pieces) - Three
Salt to taste
Garam Masala - One Tea Spoon
Turmeric Powder - One fourth Tea Spoon
Red Chilli Powder - Half Tea Spoon
Dhania Powder - One and a half Tea Spoon
Oil - One and a half Table Spoon

Oil (to deep fry Karela)
Salt (to marinate Karela)

Method

1. Peel the karelas and keep the rind aside.
2. Make a cut (length wise) on the Karelas.
3. Smear the Karelas with salt all over and also inside the cut and leave overnight.
4. If you want to put the rind in the subzi then, put some salt in the rind, mix well and leave overnight.
5. Wash the Karelas thoroughly (4-5 times) under running water and drain, also wash the rind thoroughly.
6. Deep fry the Karelas on medium flame, until golden brown. Set aside.
7. Fry the onions, until golden brown, add tomatoes and cook until tomatoes are tender.
8. Add all the spices and a little water, fry the masala for 2 minutes.
9. Add the dahi and cook for 1 minute.
10. Add the fried Karelas (and the rind) and cover, let it cook till Karelas become soft.
11. Serve hot with chapatti.

Karela Porial

Ingredients

Bittergourd-1/4 kg
Finely chopped onions-3 Tbl.sps.
Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp
Grated jaggery-1 or 2 Tbl.sps.
Tamarind-small lemon sized
Red chilli powder-1 tsp
Dhania powder-1 tsp
Powdered sesame-1 Tbl.sp. (dry roast sesame seeds and then powder)
Salt-as required
Oil for frying

Method :

1. Select bitter gourd which is little whitish in colour (less greener)
2. Chop into small pieces after removing the inner seeds.
3. Smear salt over this and keep aside for an hour.
4. Squeeze well and remove excess water secreted.
5. Cook in water to which salt, turmeric, tamarind is added till soft.
6. Drain water completely.
7. Heat oil in a kadai, add mustard, curry leaves and then onion.
8. Fry till transparent. Add dhania powder, chillipowder in the oil itself.
9. Fry for a minute and then add cooked gourd.
10. Fry well till gourd changes its colour.
11. Add salt, jaggery and just before removing from fire sprinkle sesame powder.

Kerela Kootu

Ingredients

Karela - 1
Chick Peas - 2 tbsp soaked in water overnight and cooked
Tur Dal - 1 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Jaggery - a little
Tamarind juice - 1/2 lemon size
Rai - 1 tsp
Kadhi Patha - a few sprigs
Coconut Oil - 1 tsp (for vaghar)

Masala:

Dhania seed - 1 tbsp
Red Chillies - 4-5
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Chana dal - 1/2 tsp
Coconut - 2 tbsp
Hing - a pinch

Method:

1. Cut the karela into small pieces and keep aside with salt sprinkled on it for 1/2 hour. Squeeze out the water and wash the karela well till all the bitter taste goes off.
2. Cook tur dal in the coker like for sambhar.
3. Take the tamarind juice, add jaggery, salt, haldi powder and the karela pieces and boil till the raw smell of the tamarind goes off.
4. Roast all ingedients for the masala and add coconut after putting off the gas. Make this masala in the mixie and add along with the boiled chick peas to the boiling mixture. Mix well. Lastly add cooked dal and mix well.
5. Give vaghar of rai and kadhi patha in coconut oil.

Karela Fry

Ingredients:

Karela - 10 or 12
Besan - 2 tsp (instead corn flour can also be used)
Chilli Powder - 1 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Oil - for deep frying

Method:

1. Cut the Karela in to round pieces. ( Big variety can cut in to 2 inches thin long pieces) . Remove the seeds.
2. Add salt, chilli powder, besan to the Karela and sprinkle some water. Mix well until well coated.
3. Deep fry one hand full at a time.
4. Transfer the fried karelas to a paper towel, to remove excess oil.
5. It goes very well with Sambar and Rice.