Karela (bitter Melon Or Gourd)

Total Time: 30 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 1 lb bitter melon (karela)
• 2 potatoes, peeled,cut in long strips and half cooked
• 2 chopped onions
• 2 chopped tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 teaspoon cumin seed
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/4 teaspoon red chili powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons coriander powder
• 1/2 teaspoon mango powder
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt

Recipe

• 1 rinse bitter melon.
• 2 trim on both ends as needed and scrape any blemishes or hard skin.
• 3 cut into small rounds.
• 4 heat the oil in a skillet on medium-high heat.
• 5 add karela almost in a single layer; stir and cook until brownish.
• 6 reduce the heat if they tend to burn.
• 7 add the onions, potatoes and all the seasonings; stir until the potatoes are cooked.
• 8 add the tomatoes.
• 9 cook slowly on medium low heat, half covered, stirring as needed, until everything is cooked.
• 10 variation: to make stuffed karela: mix all the seasonings for stuffing, substituting 1 teaspoon cumin powder for cumin seeds.
• 11 using a paring knife, make a long slit in each karela, from one end to another (leaving two ends and bottom of the pod intact).
• 12 keep the slit open with your thumb and use a spoon to fill the opening with the stuffing.
• 13 stuff all the karela this way.
• 14 cook karela in a wide skillet using 2 tablespoons oil, almost in a single layer, on medium heat.
• 15 stir gently so that stuffing does not come out.
• 16 when half cooked, add the onions.
• 17 reduce heat to medium low, cooking slowly, half covered or uncovered, until karela are browned.