Some ingredients cannot be fought over. Who would like to fight over whether karela (bitter gourd) is great to eat, let alone it being demanded to be cooked, but my brother does .
Even when those saying that it is an acquired taste you get addicted to the bitter flavor blah blah. Are you serious you think I am going to get convinced? well that can’t happen I have hated karela since my mother force fed me, when my granny lectured me about its health benefit or even when I read blogs and articles of fellow bloggers who would go gaga over its complex bitter taste and tell ways on cutting down its bitterness or discuss flavour profiles.
It is simple karela can’t be good Can it?
But interestingly my brother differs. How could he even do that I still remember the statement still ringing in my ear- “Mom the crispy karela sabji you made yesterday was really good can we have it once again”. Twice in a week can you imagine ?
I was half laughing over the fact. “Bro that’s karela you might have tasted something else.” But somewhere I got intrigued and a little trying doesn’t hurt anyone right?
And I have maybe not loved it a lot (being honest ) but I do have it sometimes with hot phulkas or just crispy stir fries from the pan
So this post is a testament to the fact that it all came crashing down. Thanks to my brother.
For the past week I have been consuming a lot of junk food, ordering in or snacking it has been lazy owing to the rising summer temperatures and humidity in Mumbai.
But we all know it is the time to consume more water bearing fruits and vegetables that are easily available fresh in the market to keep our body cool.
Cucumbers onions tomatoes chilli cucumber gourds muskmelon and watermelon are some examples.
Bitter gourds are something which are available in both the season but the varieties grown are different (Need to research and explore on that). The thing to keep in mind is smaller the less bitter and it should be matured but not ripe. Bitter gourd contain cucurbitacins which gives it its bitter flavour. Karela juice has been consumed for many years to fight against diabetes.
(talking like grandma now ) It is rich in vitamin B and C hence I suppose many people try to regularly drink karela juice (as these vitamins are water soluble and easily get flushed from the body ) but I know I wont be on the juicewalas regular list at all.
And well did you know bitter gourd is really relished in china and other south east Asian countries neither did I but thanks to madfeed I now know . But I think its too much about karela now
Lets move on to the best part bhel – lip smacking from eyeing the street side oli bhel to midnight homemade bhel for card parties it is the junk food which revolves around many of my cousins sleep overs. (I think I am in the mood for junk this week but no guilt this is a healthy version )
So you got it finally I am making a bhel with karela and this recipe here is my ode to my maa and especially my chotu brother for introducing me to this well hated vegetable.
Karela bhel (Bitter gourd chaat)
Ingredients
- 11/2 nos Onions sliced
- 4 cloves Garlic sliced
- 2 nos Bitter gourd small (sliced and quartered )
- 5-6 nos Mushrooms moon sliced
- to taste Salt
- 1 tsp Amchoor powder
- 1 tbsp Sugar
- 3 tbsp Curd
- 1 nos Tomato medium ( finely chopped )
- 1 nos Onion medium ( finely chopped
- 1/2 nos Raw mango medium ( finely chopped)
- 3 nos Potatoes small (diced small and boiled )
- as per choice Nylon sev as per choice
- 3 tbsp Tamarind chutney
- to taste Salt
- 250 grams Puffed rice
- 3 tbsp Green chutney
- 1 lime Lemon juice
- 2 tbsp Coriander leaves finely chopped
Instructions
- Wash, scrape the outer ridges and cut the bitter gourd into 4 sections length wise scoop out the sides and slice them in quarters . Apply salt and leave it for 30-40 minutes and squeeze out the karele ka juice.
- Meanwhile dice and boil potatoes. And prepare the vegetables to be sauteed.
- Prepare green chutney as per your home recipe I made my chutney using coriander, curd ginger ,chili and salt sugar and oil and lime juice .
- Once you have squeezed out the bitter gourd juice . In a pan heat up oil . Add sliced onion and caramelize them till golden add in the sliced garlic chilli and sauté till it softens Add in your bitter gourd add salt and sauté it . Add mushrooms till it releases water and slightly shrivels. Check for bitter gourd doneness finish with curd, sugar and amchur powder.
- In a bowl take the chopped tomato, onion, potato, raw mango, tamarind chutney (mine was store brought) green chutney, Sautéed bitter melon mixture, salt, nylon sev and mix well with the puffed rice.
- Check for the balance of taste and finish off with a squeeze of lime if need be. And yes a little coriander never hurts.