Karela Fry Recipe | Diabetic Friendly Bitter Gourd Sabzi
Try this easy Punjabi style karela fry recipe made with simple spices. Crispy, flavorful, and perfect healthy bitter gourd sabzi for lunch or dinner. This simple bitter gourd recipe is an gluten free, vegan, diabetic-friendly dry veg side dish.
Ingredients
- 350 gm karela or bitter gourd
- 1 + 1 ½ tsp salt
- 4.5 tbsp mustard oil
- ½ tbsp coarse coriander powder
- ½ tbsp coarse saunf powder
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- ¼ tsp garam masala
- 6-7 green chillies
- 3 medium sized onion sliced
- 1 small raw mango 70-100gm
Instructions
Prepare the Karela:
- Wash the karela thoroughly and trim the ends. You can peel the skin if desired or leave it on for a slightly bitter taste.
- Slice the karela in ½ inch small rounds horizontally. Scrape out the seeds if they are hard otherwise leave them as it is.
- If you prefer, you can also slice them into small, thin strips.
- Sprinkle salt over the sliced karela and mix well. Allow it to sit for 1-2 hours. This helps to reduce the bitterness of the karela.
- Squeeze out the excess moisture from the karela slices using your hands and discard the liquid.
Cooking the Karela Fry Sabji:
- Heat oil in a pan over low medium heat.
- Add squeezed karela slices, mix them well with oil so that each piece will coat with oil.
- Now cook them on low medium heat sitrring occasionally in between for about 20-22 minutes or until the karela slice becomes crisps without any moisture left.
- Take them out in a plate. Put the pan back to the flame.
- Again heat mustard oil, add coarsely grounded coriander seeds powder, saunf powder, turmeric powder,red chilli powder, salt and mix them well. Roast for few seconds.
- Add sliced onions and green chilies to the pan. Cover the pan and cook it for 1-2 minutes over low flame. Sauté until the onions turn golden brown.
- Now add chopped raw mango, mix well and cover the pan again and cook further for 2-3 minutes so that mango is cooked well.
- After that add roasted karela slices to the pan and mix well.
- Reduce the heat to low and cover the pan. Allow the karela to cook for another 2-3 minutes or until they are tender and well-cooked, stirring occasionally.
- Once the karela is cooked, remove the lid and cook for a few more minutes to let any excess moisture evaporate, giving it a slightly crispy texture.
- Your Karele aur pyaj ki sabji (Karela Fry Sabji ) is now ready to be served! It makes a delicious side dish to accompany roti, rice, or any Indian meal. Enjoy the unique flavors of this nutritious and flavorful dish.
Video
Notes
1. Look for firm and fresh karela with bright green skin. Avoid karela that has soft spots or wrinkles, as they may not taste as good.
2. Sprinkling salt over the sliced karela and allowing it to sit for 1-2 hours surely helps to reduce the bitterness. Squeezing out the excess moisture from the karela after this step further helps in minimizing bitterness. So, Don't skip this step.
3. Adjust the amount of red chili powder according to your taste preferences. If you prefer a milder version, you can reduce the amount or skip it altogether.
4. Sauté the onions until they turn golden brown. This helps to enhance their flavor and sweetness, balancing out the bitterness of karela.
5. Cooking karela on low heat allows it to cook slowly and evenly, resulting in tender and well-cooked slices. This also gives the flavors time to develop and meld together.
6. Make sure to mix the spices well with the karela slices, ensuring they are evenly coated. This ensures that the flavors are well distributed throughout the dish.
7. Before serving, taste the sabji and adjust the seasoning if needed. You can add more salt, chili powder, or any other spices according to your preference.
Remember, karela fry sabji may still retain a slight bitterness even after these steps, as it is inherent to the vegetable. However, the combination of spices and other ingredients will help balance the flavors and make it delicious.