Bitter Gourd Stir Fry is a semi dry dish made with bitter gourds (or bitter melons), onions and spices. This is a recipe from the state of Gujarat. This is very unlike the Kerala style bitter gourd fries https://relishdelish.ca/recipes/bitter-gourd-karela-fried-recipe/
Bitter Gourds: These gourds mainly are 2 kinds. The Chinese bitter gourds or melons are pale green in colour, and shaped like cucumber, oblong with smooth crinkled skin. The Indian kind of bitter melon are darker green, smaller in size, narrow edges, and harder ridges all over the skin. Both are green on the outside and white inside, with small white seeds. The skin and seed are both edible, although it is recommended to discard the seeds as it is quite bitter in taste. Both kinds have excellent health benefits and are immensely popular in Asian as well as South East Asian cooking. As the name suggests, bitter gourds or melons taste very bitter and is not very good for the taste buds. This is a vegetable generally disliked by most children. But because of it’s amazing health benefits and it is good to eat this vegetable often.
This Bitter Gourd Stir Fry is a simple recipe that has a flavour base of onions, chilli powder, turmeric, coriander, cumin and a little jaggery to offset the bitterness of the gourd. It is best served with Indian flat breads like phulka, chapatis or rotis, or with rice and tadka dal https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fe9M32tglhs
Ingredients
Instructions
- Wash and cut the bitter gourds lengthwise into 2, discarding both the edges.
- Remove the seeds out the bitter gourd. (Discard the bitter gourd if the seeds are red and over ripened).
- Now cut each halves diagonally into semi circles.
- Peel and slice onions.
- Heat a pan or wok over medium high and add 2 tbsp oil.
- Add in the onion and sliced bitter gourd. Stir fry for about 5 minutes.
- Now add in the spices and jaggery. Mix well, cover and cook until the bitter gourd turns brown and and soft, about 10 minutes, stirring in between. If required, sprinkling a little water.
- Serve stir fried bitter gourd with roti or with steamed rice and dal.