Stuffed Karela Fry – Stuffed Bitter Gourd Fry
Karela or pagarkai (tamil) is Bitter Gourd. Stuffed Karela Fry is bitter gourd stuffed with spiced vegetable such as potatoes, carrots or mixed vegetables. I have used spiced potatoes today. Though you are not a huge fan of this vegetable due to its bitterness, try this recipe, your opinion may change just like mine. And for bitter gourd lovers, this is a treat. So try this at home and let me know your comments.
Ingredients:
- Bitter gourd (Karela) – 4
- Tamarind juice – 1 cup (from a marble size tamarind)
- Lime juice from half lime
- Salt – 1/2 tsp
For Stuffing:
- Oil – 2 tsp
- Chopped onion – 1/2 cup
- Green chilies – 2
- Fresh grated ginger – 1 tsp
- Fresh grated garlic – 1 tsp
- Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
- Chili powder – 1 tsp
- Coriander powder – 1 tsp
- Cumin powder – 1 tsp
- Achar gosht masala – 1 tsp
- Amchur powder – 1/2 tsp
- Garam masala – 1/2 tsp
- Yogurt – 2 tbsp
- Lime juice – 1 tbsp
- Sugar – 1/2 tsp
- Salt to taste
- One potato, grated
For Frying:
- Oil – 6 tbsp
- Fennel seeds – 1 tsp
- A few curry leaves
- Besan flour (Roasted chickpea flour) – 1/4 cup
- Salt – 1/4 tsp
- Chili powder – 1/2 tsp
- Water
Method of Preparation:
- Scrape the sharp outer skin part of bitter gourd and chop the ends.
- Slit it length wise and remove the seeds and pith.
- Rub it with a little salt inside and outside and leave it for an hour or overnight.
- Mix tamarind juice, lime juice, salt and a little water in a bowl and soak the salt rubbed bitter gourd. Leave it for an hour. This will help in reducing the bitterness. Believe me it works.
- Heat oil in a pan, add onion and saute until tender.
- Add green chilies, ginger and garlic followed by all the dry ingredients or spice powders. Let it cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Add some water and cook.
- Add yogurt and salt, mix well. Add lime juice, some water and let everything come together and add grated potato.
- Cook until potato is cooked, for about 6 to 8 minutes over medium heat. Keep stirring in between to avoid burning.
- Stuff the bitter gourd with the potato mixture.
- Prepare a thin batter with besan, salt, chili powder and water.
- Heat oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Dip the stuffed karela in the besan batter and add it to hot oil.
- Turn the sides and cook till it is brown.
- When it is brown, remove from heat and cut each karela into three pieces and drop it back to oil.
- Flip and fry till it is crisp and dark brown.
- Remove from oil and place it in a paper towel to absorb the excess oil.
- Serve hot with rice and rasam/sambar/any spicy curry.
wow…stuffed karela fry…karela is one of my favorites…n these look simply delicious dear….
wow awesome fry….
SYF&HWS – Cook With SPICES” Series – CARDAMOM (Dec 5th to Jan 5th)
never tried it this way but t looks awesome.
Love anything made with karela.looks yummy!
Excellent stuffed karela fry,never tried this way too.