Masala Karela(Spicy Bitter gourd Curry)

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

One more Bitter gourd recipe from me. Bitter gourd is not a welcome guest in most of the houses. It is treated as a medicine. But, luckily my house people love this one. Once in a week I prepare BITTER GOURD CHIPS AND CURDS for dinner with chapati. But I never get to eat it :-), So I keep few karelas for me and prepare this masala. I enjoy it with leftover Jowar roti, I really love it.

Ingredients:

Bitter gourd - 3 big
(1 tsp of Salt and Turmeric powder to wash)
Onion -2 big, finely chopped
Curry leaves
Oil - 2 tbsp
Green chilly - 2 big, slit into two, add in the end,
 Haldi(Turmeric powder) a pinch

to grind in to paste
Fresh coconut - 1/4 cup, fried till brown
tamarind - small lime size
Salt to taste
Red chilly powder - 1 tbsp
Fresh coriander - 1/4 bunch
Ginger - 1/2 inch
Jaggery - 2 tbsp
sesame seeds - 1tsp

Method:

1. Wash, peel and remove the seeds from bitter gourd by slitting it slightly on the edge. Cut into small cubes,.
2. Add 1 tsp of salt and Turmeric powder, mix well and keep it aside for an hour or so.
3. Squeeze the bitter gourd and wash it twice with clean water. Drain and keep it aside.
4. Take all the ingredients in "to grind into paste" list and grind into coarse paste.Transfer it into a bowl and clean the grinder vessel with clean water and keep the water aside. It is used to cook the masala.
5. Heat oil in a thick bottomed kadai.
6. When hot, add onions and curry leaves. 
7. Fry till half brown. 
8. Add the slit green chilly and bitter gourd cubes. Keep on frying till the bitter gourd  turn into almost brown color.
9. Now add the ground paste, mix well.
10. Cook for a minute with the masala water,
11. Check the taste and adjust the salt or chilly taste by adding whatever you feel is less.
12. Cook for few more minutes and garnish with fresh coriander(optional).
13. Serve hot with chapati or hot rice :-)

Keep Smiling,