Bitter Gourd or Karela (ka-ray-la) as it’s known in Hindi is a bitter summer gourd enjoyed for its impressive nutritional benefits. People finds ways mellow its bitter taste to actually make it enjoyable, but I think eating it regularly one can develop a palate for its bitterness and actually enjoy it, I was one of them!
There are several ways to reduce its bitterness; salting, adding an acid like lemon juice, I find eating it with some plain yogurt mellows its flavor, deseeding helps a lot and some choose to fry them. In my opinion embracing its bitterness by lightly cooking it with a few spices is the best way to enjoy its bitterness and reap its benefits, its packed with potassium, folates, iron and antioxidants; catechin, epicatechin, chlorogenic acid, gallic acid to scavenge free radicals.
How to Prepare Karela (bitter gourd)
Karela is a very popular green vegetable in India, China and in many Asian cuisines. In North America you can find them in Indian grocery stores, Asian markets and in the summer months many farmers markets sell them.
- Prepare the Bitter Gourd:
- Wash the bitter gourds thoroughly. If desired, lightly peel them to reduce the bitterness, or you can keep the skin for added nutrition.
- Cut the bitter gourds ends off, then slice them into thin rings. Once you chopped all your veggies simply push the inner seeds off with you thumb, they come off easily. Your karela is now ready to use.
- Reduce Bitterness(Optional):
- Sprinkle salt over the sliced bitter gourd and let it sit for about 15-20 minutes. This helps in reducing the bitterness. Squeeze out the excess water and rinse them well. This is a popular method to reduce bitterness however I don’t do this, I feel salting also drains a lot of the precious nutrients. But I thought you should know it as an alternative.
- Sautéing:
- Heat oil in a pan, preferably mustard oil for an authentic flavor.
- Add cumin seeds. Once they pop, add chopped onions and sauté until lightly golden.
- Add Spices:
- Add turmeric powder, coriander powder, and red chili powder. Stir well to coat the onions in the aromatic spices.
- Cook the Bitter Gourd:
- Add the prepared bitter gourd slices to the pan. Stir and cook over medium heat until they become tender, about 7-8 minutes.
- Season and Garnish:
- Season the stir fry with lemon juice or amchur and salt according to your taste. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves for a burst of freshness.
- Serve Hot:
- Once the bitter gourd is cooked to perfection and the flavors have melded, serve the stir fry hot with your choice of Indian bread, or as a side dish with any Indian curry and rice.
Simple Karela Sabzi
Equipment
- Saute pan, wok or Kadai
Ingredients
- 1 lb karela, sliced and deseeded
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1-2 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- ¼ tsp kashmiri chilli powder
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp tsp amchur or chaat masala or use 2 tbsp lemon juice
- sea salt as needed
- chopped cilantro to garnish
Instructions
- Warm olive oil in a saute pan or Kadai. Add the cumin seeds and allow to sizzle. Add the chopped onions and saute for 3-4 minutes until translucent and soft.
- Add the karela rings and gently stir. Add the turmeric, coriander, Kashmiri chili powder, salt and mix well. Lower the heat and cover and cook for 5-7 minutes stirring a few times to prevent burning although a little caramelization improves the flavor.
- Once the karela is a little soft with a few brown pots take it off the heat, add the lemon juice or chaat masala or amchur. Mix well and adjust the taste as needed.
- Enjoy as a side veggie with any Indian curry, rice or chapati and plain yogurt to mellow the bitterness if needed.
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