Karela Sabzi | Tasty Bitter Gourd Stew Recipe | Healthy Indian Karela recipe
“Yuck! KARELA Sabzi? Why GOD, WHY?”
Isn’t this a common shriek in every Indian household? Well, I remember seeing a number of Indian movies & shows rather ratifying this feeling of distate for the poor, underrated vegetable, or umm…fruit, may be. You see, they’re also known as Bitter ‘Melons’ as they belong to the Cucurbita family, consisting of gourds, squashes, pumpkins, etc. And I seriously wondered as a first grader then, as to why people ate it when it tasted so gross. But that was until I tasted Mom’s Karela Sabzi a little later. We’re all familiar with how infamous the vegetable is for its signature bitterness. But this dish turns it into something that tastes as sweet as a dessert & is unidentifiable as a freaking KARELA! ;-D
Bitter gourd is a goldmine when it comes to health benefits. This combination of benefits is a very rare one to find in 1 vegetable/fruit.
Health Benefits of Karela
Bitter Gourds are Diabetes-friendly
As per studies, Karela contains plant-based Insulin that’s known to control blood sugar levels efficiently. Hence, it’s an ideal food for Diabetics - both Type 1 & Type 2 Diabetes.
Aids Weight Loss
Reports show that Bitter Gourd is a natural substance that fights obesity by catalyzing metabolism. It can help dissolve fat cells & prevent growth of new fat cells as well.
It also contains very few calories & being a high fiber food, it keeps you full for a longer time.
Prevents Constipation
Like it’s high on fibre, Karela prevents constipation & also helps in digestion.
Good for the Heart
Bitter Melons help reduce the bad cholesterol in the blood with their anti-inflammatory action & thus greatly reduce the risk of heart attacks & Stroke.
The best choice for Beauty Queens!
Karela is rich in anti-oxidants that prevents early ageing & skin damage. Not just that, with regular consumption, owing to the abundant presence of Zinc & essential Vitamins, Bitter Gourd reduces hair fall & improves luster as well.
What’s great about this KARELA SABZI?
- Given the above-mentioned benefits of bitter melons, you know the main ingredient is already a powerhouse of nutrition.
- This version of Karela Sabzi/ Bhaji uses jaggery
instead of sugar, which is rich in iron & is thus more favorable for diabetics if had in moderate quantity. - This sabzi/stew is garnished generously with grated coconut. Coconut meat, though high on saturated fats, is heart-friendly (contrary to the notorious ‘cholesterol-rich’ tag associated with it for decades), is high on fiber & has abundant levels of Potassium & Iron.
Making the KARELA SABZI (Konkani Style)
Preparation Time : 10 Minutes
Cooking Time : 25-30 Minutes
Serves : 3
Ingredients
Bitter Gourd (Karela) - 3 medium sized OR 2 Large ones
Onions (Chopped) - 2 (you can add more too)
Jaggery (grated) - 3 - 3.5 tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Red Chilli powder - 2 tsp
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
Grated Coconut - 2 tbsp
Cooking Oil / Olive Oil / Coconut Oil / Mustard Oil - 2 tbsp
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Curry Leaves - 8-10
Salt to taste
METHOD:
- Wash the gourds well & pat dry. Carefully scrape the major rough & pointed ridges with a knife. Like this.
2. Cut through each bitter gourd from the middle into 2 equal halves.
3. Totally remove the pit (core) & the seeds, which are the main contributors to the characteristic bitter taste. Also, consuming these Karela seeds can trigger digestion problems or allergies in some.
4. Cut the Karela(s) into the smallest pieces possible. Rather chop them well.
5. In a pan, heat the oil & then add the mustard seeds & cumin seeds.
6. After spluttering, add the curry leaves.
7. Add the onions & saute well until they turn golden brown.
8. Now add the chopped Karela pieces to this & stir well for half a minute. Keep the lid closed for about 5 minutes on medium flame.
9. Check if the chopped Karela pieces have started softening, shrinking & becoming darker. Stir again to prevent any burning towards the pan’s bottom. Close the lid again for another 5 minutes.
10. Add the turmeric powder, chilli powder, garam masala & mix well.
11. After 5 minutes, add the jaggery. Wait until the jaggery melts completely & blends with the sabzi. Stir again for about a minute.
12. Close the lid for the last 2 minutes.
13. Add salt.
14. Add the grated coconut & mix for one last time.
15. Ta-Da! Your Karela Sabzi is READY! 🙂
NOTE -
- Always choose a Bitter Gourd that’s neither very hard to touch nor too soft & succulent-like. These are extremes of being too raw & overripe & they’d make a really bad Sabzi.
- Also make sure to check how well the Karela is cooked after Step 10. Undercooked gourds often call for blaming them for their bitterness. 🙂
If you’ve hated bitter gourds or consuming them in any form, I’d strongly recommend you to try this one out! It’s worth trying, & I bet my boots, this love will start happening all over.
Do let me know in the comments how it turned out on making it yourself.
Bon Appetit!
Hey, that’s precisely how I make it. But, I add tomatoes, too, after sauteing onions. It’s how mum makes and I love. Earlier, I couldn’t get myself to eat it, but since some time now I make it a point to buy karela for myself once a week. I can vouch for its constipation fighting power!
Good, Shilpa. And I guess this one is a West Indian style of cooking it. Been in love with it!
I’m not a Karela person. The Husband is diabetic however and so we do make it pretty often. With jaggery it must be okay. I’ve never tried putting in coconut.
Since you have it very often, I’m pretty sure you guys will love this too. Because it just doesn’t taste like a gourd. Let me know how it tasted, Tulika. 🙂
I love Karela in all forms. Your recipe reminds me of something my Mom used to make. Let me try it out too.
Thanks for sharing, Ashvini.
Oh, please do try, Corinne. You’ll love this too. 🙂
I don’t eat karela at all but this recipe is tempting me to cook. So I will try this Ashwini and let you know how this turns out. Thank you for sharing. For a non cook like me, this recipe seems doable 🙂
Thanks for sharing. I’ve been trying to figure out how to make bitter gourd taste better for my dad because he doesn’t like the flavor but I’ve read it’s good for blood sugar and he’s diabetic. Hopefully, this will make him enjoy it better.