Bharwan Karela | Stuffed Bittergourd | Bharwa Karela
Author: 
Recipe type: Side
Cuisine: Indian
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4-5 people
 
Loaded with tasty masala stuffing, bitter sweet bharwan karela
Ingredients
  • 4-5 small karela/bitter gourd
For Stuffing:
  • 2 Tbsp oil
  • 1 Tsp amchur powder
  • ½ Tsp red chilli powder/lal mirch/acchu mensina pudi
  • ½ Tsp garam masala
  • 1 Tsp dhania powder
  • ¼ Tsp turmeric
  • ¼ Tsp jeera powder
  • 2-3 Tbsp besan
  • Salt to taste
For Masala:
  • 1 Tbsp oil
  • ½ Tsp jeera
  • 1 sliced onion
  • 1 Tsp sugar
  • Salt to taste
  • ¼ Cup water
Method
  1. Wash karela/haagalkayi very well and pat dry
  2. Lightly peel the karela and make a slit down the centre without cutting into half
  3. Scoop out the seeds and remove the hard part if there is any
  4. Apply little salt and keep aside
  5. In a pan, heat oil, add all masalas mentioned under stuffing except besan
  6. Saute the masala for 10-20 seconds on low flame
  7. When the masalas release their aroma, add besan
  8. Fry the besan very well till raw smell disappears
  9. Once the besan is aromatic, sprinkle salt, mix
  10. Keep aside, this is the stuffing
  11. In another pan, heat oil and splutter jeera
  12. Add onions and saute till they are sweet and roasted
  13. Sprinkle salt and sugar to taste
  14. When onions are sauteing, stuff the karela. Place a spoonful of stuffing in the cavity of each karela
  15. Tie each karela with a clean white thread so that the stuffing stays inside
  16. Place the stuffed and tied karela in the onion masala
  17. Spread the remaining besan stuffing on top
  18. Cover and cook for 5 minutes, flip mid-way
  19. Sprinkle sugar to taste
  20. Now pour water, cover and let it cook further 5 minutes
  21. Once the karela is cooked through and changes colour, garnish with chopped coriander
  22. Bharwan karela is now ready to serve!
Notes
Ensure the bitter-gourds are tender and do not have hard skin or seeds

Add sugar as per your taste, skip to make it diabetic-friendly

Adjust masalas as per your taste, add more red chilli powder or garam masala for a spicier masala

Wash the karela in salted water if they are too bitter but this washes away the nutrients, lightly sprinkling with salt is sufficient
Recipe by Food Of Interest at https://foodofinterest.com/bharwan-karela/