Karela Sabji (Bitter Gourd Recipe)
User Reviews
4.8
Karela Sabji (Bitter Gourd Recipe)
Description
The preparation of Karela Sabji involves peeling and chopping bitter gourd, removing seeds if present, and optionally salting to extract excess bitterness. The karela is then sautéed in neutral oil on moderate heat, first alone and then combined with thinly sliced onions. Ground turmeric, Kashmiri red chili powder, salt, garam masala, and dry mango powder season the vegetable, adding color, heat, and a tangy note.
The slow sauté softens the vegetable to a tender texture while allowing spices to infuse thoroughly. The dish embodies a balance of slight bitterness offset by sour and spicy components, typical of karela preparations.
Karela Sabji is suited as a side dish for Indian meals, complementing rice and flatbreads. Adjusting dry mango powder or substituting lemon juice can modulate tanginess according to taste, and thorough rinsing after salting helps manage bitterness.
Note that certain parts of the bitter gourd like seeds may be avoided due to their toxicity, especially during pregnancy or for children.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons neutral cooking oil generic cooking oil
- 250 grams bitter gourd or 5 small to mediums sized karela or 2 cups chopped karela
- 200 grams onion or 2 large onions or 1.5 cups thinly sliced onions
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder (ground turmeric)
- ½ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- salt as per taste
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- ½ to 1 teaspoon dry mango powder (amchur powder), add as required
Instructions
Preparation
- Rinse and then peel karela. Then chop in small pieces.
- Remove the seeds while chopping. If the karela is small and tender, then these will have tender seeds and they cannot be removed.
- If karela is very bitter, then add some salt on chopped karela pieces. Mix very well and allow this mixture to sit for 15 to 20 minutes. Then squeeze the karela and rinse them very well in water again. This will get rid of some bitterness from the karela.
Making karela sabji
- In a kadai or pan, heat 2 tablespoons oil. You can use any neutral flavored oil.
- Let the oil become hot. Then reduce the heat to a low and add the chopped karela.
- Mix chopped karela with oil and sauté on a low to medium-low flame. Stir often while sautéing.
- Sauté the karela for 4 to 5 minutes.
- Then add thinly sliced onions.
- Mix the sliced onions with the karela.
- Sprinkle turmeric powder, kashmiri red chili powder and salt as per taste. Mix very well.
- On a low heat continue to sauté stirring often. Sprinkle some water if onion or karela starts sticking to pan. Mix and deglaze removing any bits stuck to the pan and continue to saute.
- Sauté the karela sabji for 10 to 12 minutes till the both the karela and onions are cooked. The onions will also become golden and caramelize by this time. Keep on stirring often.
- When the onions have lightly caramelize and the bitter gourd pieces are tender and soft, sprinkle dry mango powder and garam masala.
- Mix very well and then switch off the heat.
- Serve karela sabzi with phulka, paratha and a bowl of fresh plain curd or sweetened curd. This bitter gourd curry also goes very well as a side vegetable dish or accompaniment with the combination of dal rice or kadhi chawal. You can garnish with some coriander leaves if you want.
- It can be packed for lunch box with a side of paratha or roti.½
Notes
- For very bitter karela, sprinkle salt on chopped pieces and soak 20-30 minutes, then rinse to reduce bitterness.
- Dry mango powder can be increased or lemon juice used if amchur is unavailable for tanginess.
- Remove seeds if present, especially during pregnancy, as they may be harmful.
- The recipe can easily be doubled or tripled to serve larger groups.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 3Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 131 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 131kcal | 7% |
| Carbohydrates | 11g | 4% |
| Protein | 1g | 2% |
| Fat | 9g | 14% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Sodium | 12mg | 1% |
| Potassium | 344mg | 7% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 3g | 6% |
| Vitamin A | 490IU | 10% |
| Vitamin C | 74.9mg | 83% |
| Calcium | 31mg | 3% |
| Iron | 0.6mg | 3% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.8
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