• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Cooking 4 all Seasons logo

  • Recipe Index
  • About
  • Navaratri Special
  • Our other Website: Spice your Life!
  • Nav Social Menu

menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes ~ Indian and International
  • Navaratri / Navratri – Special
  • ×

    Home » Vegetarian Side Dishes » Kakarakaya Ulli Karam ~ Lunch Box Series : LBS#80

    Kakarakaya Ulli Karam ~ Lunch Box Series : LBS#80

    Published: Jun 13, 2015 · Modified: Sep 23, 2020 by Srivalli · 5 Comments

    Sharing is caring!

    1 shares
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Kakarakaya Ulli Karam is a traditional dish from Andhra, especially from Amma's dairy. She saw this in a cooking show and had noted it down.
    While Ulli Karam is quite famous in Andhra, we somehow never make it quite often at home. Of course, a similar take on this recipe finds itself on the table often, though never this in this particular fashion. If you are bored with the never-ending dals, sambars, and like, day in and day out, like me, this is a delicious variation. Trust me, I don't like Bitter gourd, take my word, you won't find me even wanting to try. All the elders at home love bitter gourd, especially Hubby dear is so very fond of this vegetable.
    So Amma says we should try out different recipes for him and this happened to be the latest experiment. He forced me to taste it and yes, even though the koora itself is sort of bitter, the masala tastes very delicious. I am told that Ulli Karam is typically prepared with Kakarakaya/Bitter gourd and Brinjal/ Vankaya.
    And apart from just onion paste, they even add coriander to the masala and grind it. Ulli is onions in Telugu and Karam is Dry Red Chili paste. This sort of gravy is called Koora, which means a side dish to be served with Plain Rice. Pulusu refers to any thin gravy prepared with tamarind. I haven't tried this koora with Chapatis, with Rice it tastes very good.
    This was our meal today, a simple Kakarakay Ulli Karam, Pudalangai Kadalai Paruppu Poriyal. Just looking at the thali that was made a year ago, I wonder where the days have gone! This is our latest favorite way of making snake gourd at home, with loads of chana dal for your lentil intake!
    After a long time, I spent my Saturday roaming around with Hubby dear followed by shopping with Parents. Which meant, yes I didn't work today and I felt writing this post should at least happen. We went to a restaurant for breakfast, I remembered the Aloo Punjabi, a dish that will forever be in my memory, I asked the supervisor for the tandoori master to see if he remembers the recipe.
    I guess they were reluctant to share their recipe and gave me tidbits of how they make it. Guess it's one dish that might simply have to be in the memory, always reminding me of my younger years, of a time so different from now. Maybe I will just visit again with the kids and see if they can make it again and we could enjoy ourselves with Naans.
    So while I enjoy more thinking about that dish, you enjoy this simple meal!

    Kakarakaya Ullipaya Koora

    Ingredients Needed:

    For the Bitter gourd:

    Bitter gourd, diced into 2-inch cubes - 2 cups
    Tamarind - small lemon size, soaked and extracted
    Salt a pinch
    Turmeric a pinch

    To be ground

    Onions - 2 medium
    Garlic - 3 -4 cloves
    Ginger - 2"
    Dry Red Chilies - 4 -5 nos

    For the Tempering

    Oil - 2 tsp
    Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
    Curry leaves handful
    Coriander Leaves handful
    Coriander powder - 1 tsp
    Cumin Powder - 1/2 tsp
    Salt to taste
    Water as required

    How to make the Koora

    Prep the Bitter gourd, dice it into 2" pieces. Soak and extract the pulp from tamarind. Add a cup of water or as required to this extracted pulp and bring to boil. Add the bitter gourd pieces along with salt and turmeric. Cook for 5 mins, drain the vegetable and keep it aside.

    Grind the ginger, garlic, onions, and dry red chilies to a fine paste.

    Heat a pan with oil, add mustard seeds, curry leaves and then add the ground paste and saute well. Now add the boiled bitter gourd and combine everything together.

    Add the coriander powder and cumin powder and let it get mixed well.

    Add water as required and bring to boil. Finally, add the chopped coriander leaves and remove them when the gravy reaches a thick consistency.

    Serve with rice.

    Print Pin
    No ratings yet

    Kakarakaya Ulli Karam ~ Lunch Box Series : LBS#80

    Cuisine Andhra Pradesh
    Dish Type Dry Side Dishes
    Author Srivalli
    Tried this recipe?Mention @cooking4all or tag #cooking4all!

    More Vegetarian Side Dishes

    • Vazhaipoo Poriyal | Vazhapoo Thoran
    • Ethakka Chakkakuru Mezhukkupuratti | Plantain Jackfruit Seed Stir Fry
    • Muvva Vankaya | Gutti Vankaya Masala
    • Aloo Channa Kurma ~ Side Dish for Rotis

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Priya Srinivasan says

      June 13, 2015 at 5:05 pm

      Looks delicious valli. Never tried bitter gourd this way. Bookmarking to try.

      Reply
    2. Leena Chandrashekar says

      June 14, 2015 at 9:57 pm

      Nice looking platter...yumm

      Reply
    3. Pavani N says

      June 17, 2015 at 2:20 pm

      It's been a while I made this version of kakarakaya -- will have to make it some time.

      Reply
    4. Suja Ilangovan says

      June 26, 2015 at 10:15 pm

      This version of bitter gourd sounds delicious, Valli. Your platter looks very tempting 🙂

      Reply
    5. sneha datar says

      July 09, 2015 at 7:59 am

      I like this recipe of bitter gourd.

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    srivalli

    Hi! Seasons change, yet there are some timeless recipes you can enjoy anytime. If you are sport for it, you are in the right place!

    More about me →

    Popular

    • Chicken Biryani ~ Rice Cooker Style
    • No Onion No Tomato Aloo Sabzi
    • Easy way to make Ragi Mudda | Ragi Sangati Recipe Step by Step ~ Weekend Cooking!
    • How to peel Garlic and Pearl Onions in Microwave

    Most Popular Recipes

    Chicken Pakora Recipe

    Chicken Pakora Recipe | Crispy Chicken Pakoda

    Coconut Rava Halwa

    Coconut Rava Halwa

    Eggless Coffee Cake Recipe

    Chicken Pakora | How to make Chicken Pakoda | Step by Step Recipe

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Privacy Policy
    Copyright © 2022 Cooking 4 all Seasons