“Karathe- Ambade Gojju (Bitter Gourd- Hogplum Curry)” … here is a simple tikshe’- godshe’- amshe’ (spicy- sweet- tangy/ khatHa- meetHa- teekHa) side dish from Konkani Saraswat Cuisine served during lunchtime along with other dishes, you can also serve this with dosa, Idly, roti too ... however, it tastes ekdum chatpata and delicious when served along with UkdHe Pejja (Red Boiled Rice Porridge)/ kanji/ Ganji Oota/ … Yummilicious …
** We get fresh and tender bitter gourds, hogplum and many other veggies in plenty during monsoon and they are many traditional dishes that one eagerly waits to prepare and relish. The varieties are so vast in numbers that I find it almost impossible to prepare all the dishes each season and many a times the turn of a particular dish comes in a time frame of about 2-3 years only. There was a time when I could manage to prepare more as there were always scope for emptying the same, but with changing times and advanced age it become difficult so I just prepare them as and when I find the time and the desire to relish it.
** Gojju is a chutney sort of thick side dish which I am sure all of you know about otherwise you can check out the same via. common link shared at bottom of this recipe to my blog dishes posted and there are plenty that you can chose from. You can use any size of bitter gourds I used the small sized ones again which are available in plenty now. Ambado/ Hogplums I used were tender but you can use the katho/ hardened seed formed within too. Great tongue teaser served during lunchtime,but I also serve it with dosa, idly, roti for breakfast too, but best with pejje jeavana. Do try it out and enjoy with family and friends.
** Here is my simple recipe for “Karathe- Ambade Gojju (Bitter Gourd- Hogplum Curry)” … a delicious khatHa, meetHa, teekHa side dish from GSB Community … My Style …
** Wash, wipe dry and slice off the edge portions of 2 large sized bitter gourd/ karathe/ karela. Cut them lengthwise into two, remove inner seeds and discard them. Now cut into small bite sized pieces and keep them aside ready. I have used about 3 cups of chopped pieces in all of the dark green variety, you may use the lesser bitter light green ones too.
** Note : You may apply salt to the cut bitter gourd pieces and keep aside for 20 minutes, wash them and then use also, however I do not use that step. You may check out my reasons for me not doing so which I have given at the bottom of this recipe. However, you need not follow it and carry on as you wish or as you do always.
** Wash 4 medium sized ambado/ hogplum, slice off the stem edge portion and cut into the same size as that of bitter gourds. I have used tender hogplum which can be cut easily, however, if they are not tender then slice the sides and retain along with inner seeds. You can also just crush the hogplum with a weight and sue the same too.
** Heat 2 tblsp oil (tel) in a pan, add in ½ tsp urad dal (black gram dal), large pinch of methi (fenugreek) seeds, 2 tblsp of coriander (dhania/ kothimbir) seeds, ½ tsp cumin (jeera) seeds,1/4 tsp asafoetida (hing) powder, pinch of turmeric (haldi) powder, 6-8 Kashmiri Red Chillies (Kumte mirsanga/ Byadgi michi) and fry for a few minutes. Add in 2 tblsp of coconut (soyi/ nariyal) and further fry all together for a few minutes.
** Remove the above fried items and add into a mixer grinder along with a small marble sized tamarind (chinchama/ Imly) and about 30-50 gms of jaggery (goda) powder. Grind to a smooth paste with little bit of water, remove and keep it aside ready. Do not add excess water as for preparation of gojju we need to keep the masala texture thick.
** Note : The gojju is supposed to be slightly more tangy in taste, so addition of a little bit of tamarind is necessary as the ambado at times does not give the desired tart taste to the gojju. Also here I have added only 4 no. of hogplums so as to balance the taste along with the addition of tamarind. If the hogplums are not available then increase the amount of tamarind and add in, say the size of a small lemon while grinding.
** Heat 2 tblsp of oil/tel in a thick bottomed pan, when hot add in the prepared bitter gourds and stir fry on medium to high heat for about 2 minutes. Then add in the prepared hogplum pieces, a large pinch of salt and further fry for a minute. Now add about 2-3 tblsp of water, mix well, lower the heat, cover and cook till both are cooked well and done.
** Add in the ground masala to the cooked hogplum and bitter gourds along with salt (namak/ meeta) to taste, mix well, add in a little bit of water only if necessary and cook on medium to low heat till well cooked and it starts to thicken. This gojju should be simmered well for about 10-15 minutes, checking in between and adding water sparingly if required.
** Heat 2 tblsp of coconut oil (nariyal tel/ narlel tela) in a small pan when hot, add in ½ tsp of mustard seeds (sasam/ rai), when they begin to splutter add in 8-10 fresh curry leaves (kadipatta/ Karbevu) and fry for a few seconds. Now add a large pinch of hing (asafoetida) powder and ½-1 tsp of Kashmiri Chilly powder (mirsange pitti/ tikkat), fry for a few seconds, pour over simmering gojju and mix well. Cook covered for 5 minutes, remove and keep aside covered to reach room temperature before serving.
** “Karathe- Ambade Gojju (Bitter Gourd- Hogplum Curry)” is done and ready to be served. This is a chatpata side dish served at room temperature along with other dishes during lunchtime mainly so during festive occasions. However, it goes well with Idly, dosa, roti and bread slices too. But, in my home we love to relish it with UkdHe Pejja (Red Boiled Rice Porridge) which simple tastes awesome, give it a try once if you are a lover of pejje jevan like us. Do try this out and enjoy with your family and friends.
** The best part of this delicious gojju is that it can be easily kept in the fridge for 2-3 days and consumed as the taste remains intact. You can easily prepare and keep it the previous day and either use it for breakfast or carry it in your lunch box too.
** In all a very lovely bitter- sweet tasty gojju a side dish for those who love bitter gourds that is good for health. It is believed that it should always be cooked with a little bit addition of jaggery to ward of its Pitta (acidic) quality, hence I always add on jaggery for karathe dishes.
** This gojju is spicy- tangy and sweet, sort of all types of tastes in a single dish that Ayurveda recommends. It needs to be prepared spicy to balance the taste of sweet and tart added to the same, however if desired you can cut down the amount of spice level and adjust accordingly especially if you have young children or old aged people at home.
** I have added both hing and chilly powder while tempering as it imparts a lovely color and taste to the dish, again it is optional and if not desired you can leave it out. But do try out this method once before you decide and you will really be surprised at lift it gives to dishes.
** As already mentioned above Ambado/ Hogplum can be replaced by increasing tamarind/ chinchama/ Imly in case they are not available in your vicinity. Bitter gourds are available all through the year though more so during monsoon and I prepare this dish often and when hogplums are not available I always add in either star fruit or more of tamarind.
** The method of salt application to veggies is actually followed for two reasons, which many are not aware off, yet blindly follow ....
1.. First one being to draw out the bitterness if any, in case of certain veggies, as is the case with bitter gourds/ karate. By applying salt and letting rest the water content oozes out of the veggies and by discarding it the bitterness too is lessened.
2. The main reason however with other veggies is, that applying salt to veggies brings out the water content from them, there by dehydrating the veggie. This further helps in the procedure of frying, as it takes lesser time and oil to do so.
** Note : This step of applying salt is actually not necessary and personally I do not follow it, however many do so too, you may if you want to. I skip this step and go ahead with cooking or frying straight away as I believe that with the bitterness if any or any other nutrients etc. the mineral and nutrient contents of the veggies get washed away by squeezing out the salt water after setting aside, which if retained is actually good for health. I am sure God created them with some purpose/ intention otherwise people would not have consumed juices of the same as it is without even peeling skins, Isn’t it?? Think about it and go ahead with the methods you prefer or you always do, the choice is yours.
** There are many more “Karathe’/ Bitter Gourd/ Karela” dishes in my Blog, to which I am sharing a common link below, do browse through and try them out as and when desired …
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Thanks.