Masaledar Karela Recipe
Try this spicy, tangy, sweet Masaledar Karela for everyday Indian meals. It tastes great with phulka, paratha, or even with dal rice. Here is how to make it.
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
- 300 grams bitter gourd (karela)
- 4 tablespoons mustard oil or any other cooking oil
- ¼ teaspoon asafetida (hing) skip for gluten free
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds (saunf)
- ½ teaspoon nigella seeds (kalonji)
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
- 1 cup thinly sliced onions
- 2 teaspoons ginger garlic paste
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 2 teaspoons crumbled jaggery (gud)
- 2 teaspoons tamarind paste
Instructions
- Wash karela with water and peel them using a vegetable peeler. Do not discard the peel. You will use it later in the recipe.
- Rub approximately 2 teaspoon salt all over karela and keep them aside for 10 minutes.
- Wash the karela well with water and cut it into thin rounds (0.25 inch thick).
- Heat oil in a medium-size skillet over medium-high heat. An iron kadai works great for this recipe too.
- Once the oil is hot, add asafetida, fennel seeds, nigella seeds, and cumin seeds, and let them crackle for 3-4 seconds.
- Add onions and cook on medium-high heat until they are nicely browned (8-10 minutes), stirring frequently.
- Add ginger garlic paste and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Now add coriander powder, chili powder, turmeric powder, salt, and the karela peel and cook for a minute.
- Add the sliced karela and mix everything well.
- Reduce the heat to low.
- Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and cook until karela is tender (10-12 minutes). Stir a few times while cooking.
- Add jaggery and tamarind paste and mix well.
- Cover and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Check for salt and add more if needed. Serve hot.
As karela is a little bitter, it is coated with salt for about 10 minutes. It is then washed to remove the bitterness. This is an important step; otherwise, the karela will taste bitter.; do not skip it.
Video
Nutrition
Calories: 179kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 25mg | Potassium: 348mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 660IU | Vitamin C: 66mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 1mg
