Stuffed Karela (Bittergourd)

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Stuffed karela is a very interesting and tasty dish. Lots of spices, onion and gram flour stuffed in bittergourd. In India generally people love to eat it as a side dish with daal rice, roti and paratha.

Some people dont like karela due its bitter taste and some likes too much its bitter taste and specially eat with meal as a side dish. You can refrigerate it atleast for 15-20 days.

Recipe :

Ingredients :

5-6 medium sized karelas

1 cup chopped onions

1 tsp of ginger garlic paste

1/2 cup gram flour

1 tsp of roasted coriander seeds powder

1/2 tsp of turmeric powder

1 tsp of red chilli powder

1/2 tsp of roasted cumin powder

1 tsp of amchoor powder or lemon juice

1 tsp of fennel seeds

1 tsp of cumin seeds

1/2 tsp of asafoetida

1 tsp of garam masala.

Salt.

Method :

Firstly you need to wash karelas and wipe out with clean cloth. Then scrap the upper skin with peeler. Give a cut in between the karela and remove seeds.

Do not throw seeds and scraped skin. It will use for stuffing.

Take water in a bowl, add 1 tbsp of salt and soaked in salt water. Rest for 30 minutes or until the bitterness is reduced.

After half and hour take out from water and wipe completely.

Meanwhile make stuffing for karelas.

Place a pan on stove on medium flame. Add 2 tbsp of vegetable oil or you can use musturd oil.

Add cumin seed and asafoetida. Let them crackle. Now add chopped onion. Fry it until get golden brown colour.

Now add some scraped skin and seeds of karelas. Stir for few minutes as it is.

Now add all spices together with salt according to taste. Mix well and stir for 5-10 minutes in medium flame. Saute until the spices turn aromatic.

Sprinkle some water to add some moist in mixture.

Saute for few minutes and add 1/2 cup of gram flour. Saute again for 5-10 minutes in medium to slow flame until you get a roasted aroma of stuffing.

Now add 1 tbsp of lemon juice / 1 tsp of amchoor powder My amchoor masala was finished so i use lemon juice instead of amchoor powder.

At last add garam masala and mix well. Turn off your gas and let it cool.

After the karela has marinated for 30 minutes, pour water and squeeze. Clean off the karela completely, and stuff the prepared stuffing into it.

Tie the karela with the piece of thread to prevent the stuffing coming out while frying.

But i dont use any thread and floss. Because personally i dont like it. I fry as it is.

In pan heat 2 tbsp oil and add pinch hing. Add in stuffed karela and roast for 5 minutes. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes stir karelas and sprinkle some water and cover it again. Simmer again for 10 minutes.

Again stir and cook until the karela is cooked completely without burning.

When you get dark brown crispy colour on karelas it means it cooked.

Now enjoy it with roti, daal rice.

Thank you everyone 😊

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