Stuffed Karela Recipe

How to make Stuffed Bitter Gourd | Bharwan Karela Recipe | Authentic Recipe of Stuffed Karela 

Hello Friends,

Today's blog post is dedicated and strongly recommended to all the bitter gourd lovers. Please give it a try and enjoy this awesomely delicious stuffed karela preparation. Sharing recipe with step by step images in GIF format.

Do you want to know how to make the not so desirable food to the most desirable one.... Try this karela recipe and you'll start loving this vegetable like never before. Stuffed Karela is spicy, delightful, tangy, flavorful Indian recipe served as a side dish..

Today's blog post recipe is an authentic stuffed karela recipe. If you're following my blog religiously, then I'm sure, you must be knowing that garlic, green chilies, tomatoes and coriander leaves mixed with Indian spices is my one of the most preferred combinations and used in many recipes. This combination is not only healthy, but it truly works awesomely and make the dish one of the most desirable one.. As usual, I had made the few changes in this authentic recipe such as addition of tamarind pulp and jaggery and added karela stuffing in cooked form.

In today's recipe I have blanched the bitter gourds, but this step can be skipped, if you can get good quality, tender, small size bitter gourds which not only gets cooked very fast but also less bitter in taste...

☑Let's get started - Recipe details 

⚫Recipe type side dish

⚫Cuisine Indian

⚫Preparation time 25-30 min

⚫Cooking time 20-25 min

☑Ingredients required

⚫300 grams bitter gourd (Karela)

⚫2-3 medium size tomatoes

⚫8-10 garlic cloves 

⚫2-3 green chilies

⚫1 handful of cilantro leaves

⚫10-15 grams tamarind pulp

⚫15-20 grams Jaggery (optional) 

⚫2 tbsp coriander powder

⚫2 tsp red chilly powder 

⚫1 teaspoon turmeric powder

⚫ Salt to taste 

⚫ 2-3 tbsp cooking oil for stuffing and Stir frying

☑Method

✔Step 1 Mise en Place

◾Bitter gourd - washed - lightly scrape the skin with a pairing knife - Slit lengthwise - remove the hard seeds - if any - Blanch it for 5-7 minutes on slow flame - Wash under running tap water - Leave it to cool down - gently press and remove the water from bitter gourds- Keep it aside until called for.

◾Cilantro leaves - Washed - Stems removed - roughly chopped

◾Tomatoes - Washed and roughly chopped 

◾Ginger Washed - peeled - roughly chopped

◾Garlic Peeled and roughly chopped 

◾Green chillies washed - peeled - roughly chopped 

◾Tamarind - Wash and soak in the boiling water for 5-7 minutes or cook it on slow flame for 3-5 minutes till it becomes soft. Blend it in a mini chopper - then strain through sieve - keep it aside until called for.

✔Step 2 Make a coarse green paste

◾In a mixer grinder jar, add tomatoes, green chilies, coriander leaves and use pulse button and blend it for 8-10 seconds Now add ginger and garlic and then again pulse for 3-5 seconds. Keep it aside until called for.

✔Step 3 Stuffing preparations 

◾Heat oil in a large frying pan, add coarse green paste, saute for 2-3 minutes on high flame. Add Jaggery and tamarind paste and cook again for a minute or two. Add dry ingredients i.e. red chilly powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and salt to taste mix it all well. Cook for a minute or two. Switch off the gas stove.. Our stuffing is ready.

✔Step 4 Stuff karela and cook

◾Fill the blanched bitter gourds with the above stuffing. . 

◾Bring the cut edges closer and gently tie it with the thread around the stuffed karela, as that holds the stuffed masala inside and karela will remain closed and in good shape and gets cooked nicely. 

◾Heat oil in a heavy bottomed fry pan, add stuffed bitter gourds and saute them on medium to high flame for 2-3 minutes and then cover it with lid and cook it on slow flame, for 8-10 minutes, don't forget to gently flip in between..

◾If needed sprinkle few drops of water to avoid sticking or burning or add a few drops of cooking oil. 

◾Cook till nicely done. Serve hot as a side dish.. 

Also refer 

Bitter Gourd Recipes