MyMusingsSangSpeak-Pet Puja - Karlyachi Bhaji(Bitter Gourd/Karela Subji)

Karlyachi Bhaji(Bitter Gourd/Karela Subji)

Bitter Gourd/Karela/Karle is one vegetable that is not liked by many people as it tastes bitter. It is a seasonal vegetable and comes in late summers and stays through the monsoons. It has many nutritional and medicinal benefits and should be consumed when available during the season. It can be prepared in many varied ways as fried chips, dry vegetable and semi dry with masala, masala filled karela or as fresh juice too. Mostly, many places the bitter gourd is rubbed with salt and left for about an hour or half and then washed with water to remove the bitterness. Some people boil it in water for about 10 minutes and strain the water to remove the bitterness. My mother also used to follow similar procedures to remove the bitterness. Over the years, I found that many of my friends used the bitter gourd directly and the prepared dish did not taste bitter at all. So, now, even I make my bitter gourd vegetable directly. Many people remove the central pith too along with seeds, but, I learnt to use that too as per one of my aunt’s recipe. The bitterness of bitter gourd is reduced by adding tamarind/lemon and sugar/jaggery to the vegetable preparation.

Ingredients

Bitter Gourd – 250 gms

Basic Curry Paste (paste of onions, coconut, fresh coriander, ginger and garlic roasted in oil) – 150 gms

Jaggery – 50 gms

Tamarind – 50 gms

Oil – 3 tablespoons

Turmeric Powder – ½ teaspoons

Kolhapuri Kaala Masala/Kanda Lasun Masala – 1 teaspoon

Salt – As per taste

Water – Approx 1½ cups 

 

Method

Wash the bitter gourd and slit lengthwise, remove the pith and seeds (if seeds are too hard, then, discard them). Grind the pith and seeds with little water and keep aside. Cut the bitter gourd into 2 inch pieces. Soak tamarind in water for about 10-15 minutes and strain. Heat oil in a pan and add the bitter gourd pieces. Stir fry for 2 minutes and add salt and turmeric and stir fry for about 6-7 minutes on medium flame. Add the paste of seeds and pith and cook for further 2 minutes. Now add the basic curry paste, Kolhapuri Kaala masala, jaggery and strained tamarind pulp. Cook till bitter gourd softens. Karlyachi bhaji is done and can be eaten with roti/chapatti/ bhakri of jowar/sorghum.

Note - If Kolhapuri Kaala Masala is not readily readily available, then substitute with grama masala+red chilly powder. Follow the following links for garam masala and basic curry paste.

http://mymusings-sangita.blogspot.in/2015/01/pet-puja-garam-masala.html

http://mymusings-sangita.blogspot.in/2015/07/pet-puja-basic-curry-rassa-masala.html