Gujarati karela -Sabji

Karela-Bitter gourd, an indian vegetable with a bitter taste but if cooked correctly it can be made into a delicious spicy sabji, sweet and delicately flavoured in an onion and tomato gravy sweetened with gor(jaggery) to balance the bitterness.

Ingredients:

3 medium karelas each peeled and each cut into 3 pieces.(9 pieces in total )

1 small onion sliced

1 tomato finely diced

1/2 tablespoon fresh chopped coriander for garnish

For Stuffing:

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon chilli powder

1 teaspon cumin powder

1 teaspoon coriander powder

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1 tablespoon besan

1 tablespoon gor (jaggery)

1 tablespoon oil

1/2 tablespoon fresh chopped coriander

For gravy:

1 tablespoon oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon chilli powder

1/2 tablespoon gor(jaggery)

1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds

1 teaspoon garlic paste

Method:

1.Cut a slit into each karela piece and remove the seeds.

2.Mix together all the ingredients for the stuffing and make a thick paste.

3.Stuff the cavity of each karela piece with this stuffing .

4.Place stuffed karela pieces on a tray and stem for 20 min still karela are tender and cooked.

5.Heat oil in a shallow frying pan and add mustard seeds.

6.Once the mustard seeds start popping add the garlic paste and onions and saute till onions start to colour slightly.

7.Add the tomatoes and add the spices set aside for gravy ,cook till tomatoes break down and the gravy thickens. Add gor and cook.

8.Add the steamed karelas and gentle toss to cover the karelas with the gravy.

9.Cover the pan and let the karelas infuse the gravy and spices for a further 5 minutes.

10.Transfer the karela sabji to a serving dish and garnish with fresh coriander.