“Andhra Style Karela (Karate’) Bhaji / Bitter Gourd Dry Masala Curry” … Bitter gourds though bitter in taste are good for health. I always feel that vegetables and fruits are created seasonal by God as they are beneficial and are needed for the body during that phase ... So do include them into your diet and Enjoy the health benefits ... A delicious side dish that goes very well with poori / chapati / roti / parathas … Yummy Yumz ....
** The Recipe Credit goes to Shobana Rao akka for this yummy dish … Thanks akka we loved it …. I will be sharing the link to the original recipe too at the bottom of my recipe, please do check out on the same too.
** Bitter Gourd / Karela / Karate’ is loved very much in my home though it is bitter in taste. This bitter veggie tastes awesome if cooked taking proper care with added on spices that hit out the bitter taste in it. I have written a lot about Bitter Gourds in many of my recipes before and will not repeat the immense health benefits again. I had a few karate’ / bitter gourd in my fridge and wanted to finish it off today. I had decided on podi / tava fries but actually was wondering if I could do something else. I was attending my food group “Konkani Delicacies” early morning when suddenly Shobana akka posted her food post. Bingo !!! Akka had posted karela / bitter gourd dish. Shoban akka has a beautiful Blog of her own and always shares her link. I checked out on her blog and was happy to note that I had all the ingredients and I could follow the dish immediately.
** The only hitch was the karate’ / bitter gourd I had were not enough. I had only two medium sized one's which I had thought of preparing into podi / fries and they were not enough if I had to prepare curry. So I had to tweak the dish a bit, also I wanted slightly more gravy as I had already kneaded the dough to prepare rotis and I wanted a side dish for the same and my hubby likes a little bit of gravy added on to the same. So I added on more of onions and increased the gravy part. Also the Karela’ / Bitter Gourd I used are very light green in colour almost whitish, so the color I got differs and is not dark greenish. I added on tempering as I loved my dishes tempered. But by and large the recipe remains the same. This recipe goes very well with roti / paratha or you can also serve as a side dish with Dal-Chawal.
** Here is my version of “Andhra Style Karela Bhaji / Bitter Gourd Curry” ….
Bitter Gourd / Karate’ / Karela : 2 medium sized.
Onions : 3 medium sized
Jaggery / Gud : 2 tblsp grated
Haldi / Turmeric Powder : One pinch
Salt to taste
Oil : 1 tblsp
** To be roasted and ground into powder :
Coriander Seeds / Kottambari / Dhania : 2 tblsp
Cumin Seeds / Jeera : 2 tsp
White Sesame / Til / Teelu : 1.5 tsp
Fennel Seeds / Saunf / Badisep : ½ tsp (Op)
Fenugreek Seeds / Methi : 5-6 seeds (Op)
Kashmiri Red Chilly : 6
** To be ground into paste :
Garlic / Losun : 8-10 peeled
Ginger / Adrak : 1 inch
** To be ground into paste :
Tarmarind : marble sized ball
Tomatoes : 2 large sized.
** For Tempering :
Oil : 1 tsp
Mustard Seeds / Rai / Sasam : ½ tsp
Curry Leaves / Kadipatta / Karbev : 5-6
** Wash and wipe the bitter gourds dry. Slice off the two ends and cut it lengthwise vertically. Remove the seeds within and slice them into semi circles of medium thickness. Keep them ready aside.
** Wash, slice off the both the side edges of the karate’ / bitter gourd. Then cut it lengthwise into two and remove the seeds from the center. Discard the seed. Slice them into semi circles of medium thickness. Apply a tsp of salt all over and mix well and keep it aside for 15 minutes. Squeeze / drain out the extra water from the karate’ and keep them ready aside.
** Note : If you want to lessen the bitterness of the karela / karathe / bitter gourd apply salt after they are sliced / cut into pieces, mix well and keep them aside covered for 15 mins. Squeeze out the water from them and rinse under water. Some people even scrap the outer skin of karela off its nodes. I however, never follow this method and retain the bitterness of the gourds as its medicinal value in lost if done so. Also, God has created the same so that man needs to consume them without tampering into its original goodness. You may follow whichever procedure that suits you.
** Grind the garlic and ginger into a smooth paste and keep it ready aside.
** Chop the tomato into fine pieces grind it along with the tamarind and keep this also ready aside.
** Peel of the skin of the onions and cut them into small sized pieces and keep them ready aside.
** ** To be roasted and ground into powder : In a thick bottomed kadai, roast Coriander Seeds, Cumin Seeds, White Sesame Seeds, Fennel Seeds, Fenugreek Seeds, Kashmiri Red Chilly separately and when cooled, add in the haldi powder, mix well all the ingredients and grind it in a mixer grinder to a fine powder.
** In a thick bottomed kadai add in oil, when hot add in the karate’ / bitter gourd pieces and fry for a few minutes, till they turn slightly brown. You can also use the microwave for the same. Now add in the onions and continue to fry till they turn translucent.
** Once the onions are cooked add in the ginger garlic paste and fry for a few minutes till its raw smell goes and then add in the ground tomato-tamarind puree and mix well together. Let cook for 3-4 minutes. Now add in the ground powder, jaggery, one cup of water, salt to taste and mix well. Bring the curry to a boil and then lower the heat and cook covered till done.
** For Tempering : Heat the oil, when hot, lower the heat add in the mustard seeds, when they begin to crackle add in the curry leaves, fry for a second and pour over the curry.
** Note : The original curry does not have tempering, I am partial towards it so I added it on. You may leave this out too.
“Andhra Style Karela (Karate’) Bhaji / Bitter Gourd Dry Masala Curry” is done and ready to be served. Goes best with chapati / roti / paratha but can also be served as a side dish with Dal-Rice and other bhaji. Tastes Yumz.
** This is actually a dry dish to which I added a little bit more masala to a have a little bit of gravy consistency as we prefer it that way with roti. Do try this dish out and enjoy with your family and friends. Once again I remind you that bitter gourd though bitter in taste has loads of health benefits. You can use the light green variety if available in your vicinity like I do, it is less bitter in taste, which has the same nutrients in it.
** Here is the link to the original recipe by Shobana Rao akka ….
** You can use the search option for "Bitter Gourd or Karate" in the Blog, where you will get many more dishes of this awesome vegetable in gravy, semi dry and fried style. Do try out various types of dishes and Enjoy the same with family and friends.
** An Earnest Request : There are many more recipes of similar type in the blog. For all my Recipes, use the search option or the label section in the Blog. If you are still not able to find it please leave a message in comment section or mail me the same. You can also go to my page (add on the left side of blog) and leave a message and I will try my best to get back to you as soon as possible … Thank you. I have also started a food group for "Konkani Saraswats" by the name "KONKANI DELICACIES" the link of which is posted on the left side of the blog page. Do join us in our culinary journey. I strongly believe in Sharing and always endorse that "Sharing Is Caring".
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