Bharwa Karela (Stuffed Bitter Gourd)

This is a traditional Indian dish where bitter gourds are stuffed with a flavorful spice mixture and cooked until tender is healthy and diabetic friendly. Here's a simple recipe for you:

Ingredients:

6 medium-sized Karela (bitter gourds)
2 tablespoons oil (plus extra for shallow frying)
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon red chili powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 tablespoon amchur (dry mango powder) or lemon juice
1 teaspoon sugar (optional, to balance the bitterness)
Salt to taste

For Prepping Bitter Gourd:

Scrape and Prep the Bitter Gourd:
- Wash the karela, scrape off the rough outer skin slightly, and keep it aside for the filling.
- Make a vertical slit along the side of each karela without cutting them into halves. Gently remove the seeds and the inside flesh using a small spoon and keep it for the filling as well.
Soak with Salt:
- Rub a little salt inside and outside the karela, then leave them aside for 20-30 minutes. This helps reduce the bitterness.
- After soaking, rinse the karela well with water and pat them dry.
- Then steam them for 5 minutes by putting them in a steamer over a pot of boiling water. Once slightly tender, remove them from the steamer basket and allow them to cool down,

For the Stuffing:

Prepare the Spice Mix:
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds, and fennel seeds, and let them crackle.
- Add the skin and inside pulp that we had kept from the previous step. Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala, amchur (or lemon juice), and salt. Mix well.
- Cook the spices for a few minutes on low heat. Add sugar if you want to balance the bitterness.
- Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool slightly. Once it’s cold, grind it in a spice grinder to make a paste.

Stuffing and Cooking:

Stuff the Karela:
- Once the spice mixture has cooled, stuff each karela with the spice mixture. Use your hands or a spoon to tightly pack the stuffing inside each karela.
Cook the Stuffed Karela:
- Heat some oil in a large pan for shallow frying.
- Place the stuffed karelas in the pan and cook on low to medium heat. Keep turning them occasionally to ensure they cook evenly on all sides.
- Cook for about 20-30 minutes until the karela becomes soft and slightly golden brown. You can cover the pan to speed up the cooking process, but make sure to uncover and stir occasionally.