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Stuffed Karela Sabzi Recipe

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Karela sabzi recipe -- Bitter gourd is good for reducing sugar levels in blood and urine, for constipation, and for strengthening immune system.
Author Mukta Tikekar

Ingredients

Serves two adults and a child

  • 4 medium-sized bitter gourds karela
  • 3 tbsp besan chickpea flour
  • 3 tsp jowar flour sorghum powder
  • 1 tsp ajwain carom seeds
  • 1/5 th tsp haldi turmeric powder
  • 1/5 th tsp hing asafoetida
  • 1/5 th tsp red chili powder
  • 1/5 th tsp mustard seeds
  • 2-3 tbsp oil
  • 1 tbsp chopped coriander
  • Salt to taste

Instructions

  • Wash bitter gourds properly and then use a peeler or knife to scrape off the skin. (I don't scrape off all skin, I keep some on.)
  • Cut off the portion near both ends and then cut approximately 1-inch pieces.
  • Scoop out the seeds and white flesh from the pieces, apply some salt on them, and then wash the pieces thoroughly after 15-20 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, take besan and jowar flour in a dry bowl.
  • Add ajwain, haldi, hing, red chili powder and salt, and mix it well using a dry spoon.
  • Arrange the karela pieces in a cooker's vessel and then pour in the flours' mixture in them. (Don't press the stuffing as it doesn't taste too good after cooking if the flours are packed in too tight.)
  • Cook in a pressure cooker on medium flame for 10-15 minutes (4-5 whistles).
  • Heat a pan and add 2 tbsp oil. (I usually use iron kadai because karela comes out nice and crispy, but it turns black. I didn't want it to look black in the pics, so just this once I didn't use iron kadai.)
  • When the oil heats up, add mustard seeds.
  • When the mustard seeds spultter, add a pinch of hing and haldi.
  • Transfer 1-2 tsp of the tempering (tadka) in a separate bowl.
  • Add the pressure-cooked karela pieces to the kadai, and stir.
  • Sprinkle some salt and drop in a little bit of tadka that you had set aside from both sides of the pieces to eliminate the floury taste from the stuffing.
  • Cook on medium flame for about 10 minutes while stirring intermittently. (You can add some oil while the sabzi is cooking if you feel it's turning out too dry.)
  • Add chopped coriander, stir, and cook for about a minute before turning off heat.