When it comes to Bitter Gourd, I have a bitter sweet relationship. Bitter because I don't like it, sweet because hubby dear loves it! Oh the love that hubby dear seems to have for this bitter vegetable, takes more than these pages for me to fill. Its expressed more, when it happens to be cooked by Athamma. He takes one bite, and his whole expression changes, soft and innocent as a child, with wonder he will ask, Amma made this? Well my dear, you score 100% for hitting on the nail, I would think. Most times, I don't even attempt to make a dish with bitter gourd, if there are plans, I will ask Athamma to do the honours, afterall its not everyday I can get to see that look at his face. I guess there is something so wonderful enjoying something prepared by your mom! I wouldn't want to deprive him that enjoyment.
It is so much so that, even Konda fights with him, saying "my Mom cooks better than yours"! With every dish thats made, they taste and fight over it, saying its prepared by me or his mom. That will immediately have my daughter railing off the dishes that I prepare and then say I can bake or do this or that better than his Mom. He will promptly reply, asking her if I know to make the dal as good as his Mom. Recently I showed Athamma how to go about making Paneer Butter Masala, so on days when I am not able to get back home on time, I will ask her to make it. So on those days, its even more fun. Hubby dear will say his mom prepared it, so Konda will reluctantly say, it wasn't as good as mine.
Anyway coming to this recipe, Athamma was telling me of this variety she used to make. So when it was decided that I wasn't going to pack my lunch, she said hubby dear can take this along with dal. Hubby dear said, we could've tried making it without deep frying, but then you can really eat a whole bitter gourd, if it wasn't deep fried.Ingredients Needed:
Bitter gourds/ Kakarakaya - 2 small
Thin Besan/ Gram flour batter
For stuffing:
Garlic - 4
Coconut - 2 tsp
chili powder - 1 - 2 tsp
salt to taste
Oil for deep frying
Method to prepare:
Normally you can scrap the outer skin of the bitter gourd and deep fry, That way it will consume lot of oil. So scrap off the outer skin. Remove the seeds. Slit in the middle without breaking the vegetable. Then par boil it or steam it.
For the stuffing, pound the garlic, coconut, chili powder and salt to a find powder. Stuff this mixture into the bitter gourd.
Make a thin batter of besan, have the kadai on with oil. Dip these stuffed karela into this thin batter and gently drop into hot oil. Make sure it gets cooked on all sides.
This tastes great with dal and rice.
By the way, this week as I have said, will soups, starters and some dry curries!
If you like Spice Powders, then this Kakarakaya Karam Podi is an excellent to make.
rekhas kitchen says
valli gutti kakarakaya supreb pinch me Imaking kakarakaya pavakka upperi for my list
Bhawana says
wow this is really tempting Srivalli. I bookmarked this recipe, my hubby wants me to cook bittergourd. a nice recipe to try out.
Priya says
Stuffed bitter gourds looks fabulous...ur filling is completely different one..will try them soon..
Medhaa says
love this, wenormally make stuffed bittergourd and then make it into a curry. Have to try this once with the coconut
Kamalika says
I make Bitter Gourd chips .. that s the only form in which I can take the veggie... urs looks inviting .. will try it some time
Lakshmi Venkatesh says
bittergourd fried. looks very nice.
Kitchen Flavours says
Looks spicy and yummy.
Roopa says
Wow that looks very tasty srivalli 🙂 I loved the color of the bittergourd in this dish:) I cant wait to try it the next time we buy it.
Sia says
LOL... what's with these hubby's. i don't mind him praising the food his amma makes but sometimes when it becomes little over dramatic i leave the kitchen saying he can cook the dish just like his amma makes 😉 and yesh, i challenge him to chop the veggies just like my dad does;)
and that stuffed bitter gourd looks sooooooo good... i can almost smell the little bitter aroma mixed with pungent garlic... heaven..
raaji says
I guess i will go on with shallow fry......
Curry Leaf says
I have not tried this it looks fabulous.
Bharathy says
AHHH!! there you are with the recipe of the day!!!
Stuffed pavakka is simply new to me 🙂 and this is a wonderful recipe 🙂
BTW..
Tiigggght hugs for that wonderful comment in Kiran's place,Valli:)
No words to thank you..
that reminds me..I am a food blogger and should get back to blogging soon!! YIKES!! 😉 😉
Thanks again, sweetie..they mean so much to me 🙂
Madhu says
Looks good Sri,new recipe with stuffing and frying.
Arundhuti says
there is an award waiting for u here...
viji says
This recipe tempting me valli & would like to prepare..seems tradtional way......will try soon
Divya Vikram says
Hate bitter gourd as well..Great way to try to eat the veggie..
Vaidehi says
great recipe and fried karela looks so perfectly done
Smitha says
It is absolutely tantalizing... It has been ages that i made this one! SO bookmarking it right away
kamala says
Same fight happens at our place too with nandhu and hubby..The picture looks tempting..I am not a grt fan of bitter gourds..But hubby likes this so much..So will try for him
PG says
wow! that looks simple to make and delicious! I love karela and I got to make and eat them a few days ago, after ages and I know I love them. i f a get a chance again i will surely try your recipe.
Uma says
stuffed bitter gourds look amazing Srivalli! I like the phrase "bittersweet relationship". Ha ha ha!
LG says
a common fight at home I think..well, the love towards their mom is much more than the taste, so we should not deprive that. Kaakarakaya superb ga kanipisthundi sri!
Jayashree says
Iam one of the few people who love this veggie. Your version looks delicious.
Sharmila says
You are on a roll! I too love this .. but make the stuffing of potatoes.Must try with coconut too. 🙂
Anonymous says
My Mom used to make this along with senagapappu karam and yours is so tempting..
Kamini says
How sweet to have such a loyal daughter!
I, too, have a love-hate relationship with bitter gourd (my opinion of it changes from week to week), but your recipe does look unusual and tempting enough to want to try it out.
Varsha says
Valli..amazing coincidence..me too hav tis sweet bitter rlation wid bittergourd..:D..my hubby s crazy abt it..n i guess tis dish wud make him more than happy..thanx a ton..:)