Crisp Karela

This Crisp Karela is to die for! Bitter or not, karela (bitter gourd/bitter melon) sure tastes better when it’s all crispy and crunchy! Add bitter gourd to your meals as often as possible as cooked bitter gourd stimulates the appetite, cleanses the liver, purifies the blood, and provides many other benefits.

Servings: 2
Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 cups karela, sliced into thin rounds
• 4-5 tsp vegetable oil
• Turmeric powder, a pinch
• Asafoetida powder (hing), a pinch
• 1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
• 5-6 curry eaves
• 2 red chillies, broken into a few pieces
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 2 tbsp peanut (groundnut) powder (roasted and peeled)
• 1 tbsp coconut, grated and dried
• Salt to taste

Preparation

1. Rub some salt over the karela and place in a microwave-safe bowl. Sprinkle some water and cook in the microwave for 5 minutes or until tender.
2. Heat the oil in a nonstick skillet. Add the asafoetida powder, curry leaves, cumin, and red chillies, and fry until the seeds are golden. Add the turmeric powder and the cooked karela and saute on medium-high heat until the karela are browned and crisp.
3. Sprinkle the peanut powder and saute for 1 minute. Sprinkle the coconut and saute for a few seconds and remove the crisp karela from the heat.
4. Serve the crisp karela immediately with plain rice, plain dal and ghee (clarified butter).

Category: Vegan Vegetable Recipes, Vegetable Recipes, Vegetable Recipes - No-onion No-Garlic