Stuffed karela or bharwa karela is a stuffed bitter gourd recipe. Bharwa in Hindi means stuffed. This is a popular North Indian recipe and tastes delicious.
This recipe is special because it is made by my hubby. Yes! Believe me. He loves bitter gourd, and he made this recipe so that I too start liking bitter gourd. He got these special organic baby karelas and even decided what to cook with them. He had planned the entire recipe when he bought the ingredients itself.
What goes in making spicy Punjabi style stuffed karela?
- Bitter gourd: I have used small fresh baby bitter gourd in this recipe.
- Spices: Kasuri methi, garlic, turmeric powder, red chilies, coriander seeds and cumin seeds.
- Vegetables: Onions and tomatoes are used in this recipe apart from baby bitter gourd. I have used red onion; you may use any type of onion.
- Sauce: Little bit of tomato sauce is added in this recipe.
How to make Punjabi bharwa karela?
- Wash the bitter gourds. Slice the tips on both the sides and discard.
- Slit them lengthwise leaving one cm from top and bottom ends. Make sure that the slit is shallow enough such that the two halves do not separate. With a spoon carefully remove the seeds.
- Take couple of cups of water in a vessel. Add 1 tablespoon of salt to it. Mix to dissolve salt.
- Put the bitter gourd in this salt water and boil. After the water starts boiling, keep it on a simmer till the gourds’ skin gets soft. Drain the water and allow them to cool down.
- Heat the oil in a separate skillet/pan on a low flame. When oil becomes hot, add cumin seeds and coriander seeds.
- After they splutter, add garlic and onion.
- Stir fry until the onion turns golden brownish. Add chopped tomatoes and sauté till they become mushy.
- Add the red chilies, turmeric powder and kasuri methi.
- After some time, add tomato sauce. Keep stirring so that the mixture does not get stuck to the pan. Add salt to taste.
- After 2-3 minutes, turn off the flame and allow the pan to cool down.
- Take the mixture into a mixer and grind it into a coarse paste. Do not add water while grinding. Add chili powder and salt if required.
- Carefully, fill the bitter gourds with this paste through the slits. After this is done, tie a thread around the bitter gourds so that the paste does not come out.
- In a frying pan, add 5 tablespoons of oil.
- Add the gourds and shallow fry till the skin turns a little brown. Turn off the flame.
- After the bitter gourds cool down, carefully remove the threads. Use the remaining paste as a gravy around the bitter gourds.
- Garnish with coriander leaves.
Other bitter gourd recipes:
Serving suggestions:
- Stuffed bitter gourd can be served as a side-dish with rice, roti, naan or paratha. You may prepare it either for lunch or dinner.
The stuffed bitter gourd recipe is a bit lengthy but if followed properly it will turn delicious. My hubby took all the pains to compose the recipe and send it to me. He is a very good cook and the main person who taught me to cook. I just helped him with the ingredients and with the chopping of onions and tomatoes. He even took my camera and clicked some pictures. It was teamwork as both of us were involved in cooking the recipe. We both clicked pictures and hubby even tried doing some food styling. It is nice to have similar passion.
Guess what I loved the dish, and I did not feel that the bitter gourd was bitter in taste. It was tangy, spicy and slightly bitter. The flavours complemented well, and the dish was a huge success. Who says that guys can’t cook? They are the best chefs in the world. Indeed, my hubby is one of them.
Also check this recipe of rava fried bitter gourd which was shared with my hubby last time when he had been to US. He made it there and shared it with me from there.
Stuffed Bitter Gourd | Bharwa Karela
Ingredients
- 4-6 small baby bitter gourds
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon kasuri methi
- 2 large onions finely chopped
- 6 garlic cloves
- 3 large tomatoes finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon tomato sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 3 red chilies
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- To taste salt
Instructions
- Wash the bitter gourds. Slice the tips on both the sides and discard.
- Slit them lengthwise leaving one cm from top and bottom ends. Make sure that the slit is shallow enough such that the two halves do not separate. With a spoon carefully remove the seeds.
- Take couple of cups of water in a vessel. Add 1 tablespoon of salt to it. Mix to dissolve salt.
- Put the bitter gourds in this salt water and boil. After the water starts boiling, keep it on a simmer till the gourds’ skin gets soft. Drain the water and allow them to cool down.
- Heat the oil in a separate skillet/pan on a low flame. When oil becomes hot, add cumin seeds and coriander seeds.
- After they splutter, add garlic and onion.
- Stir fry until the onion turns golden brownish. Add chopped tomatoes and sauté till they become mushy.
- Add the red chillies, turmeric powder and kasuri methi.
- After some time, add tomato sauce. Keep stirring so that the mixture does not get stuck to the pan. Add salt to taste.
- After 2-3 minutes, turn off the flame and allow the pan to cool down.
- Take the mixture into a mixer and grind it into a coarse paste. Do not add water while grinding. Add chili powder and salt if required.
- Carefully, fill the bitter gourds with this paste through the slits. After this is done, tie a thread around the bitter gourds so that the paste does not come out.
- In a frying pan, add 5 tablespoons of oil.
- Add the gourds and shallow fry till the skin turns a little brown. Turn off the flame.
- After the bitter gourds cool down, carefully remove the threads. Use the remaining paste as a gravy around the bitter gourds.
- Garnish with coriander leaves.
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Note: The recipe was published on 15th May 2015 and is republished.
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