Here are some easy to prepare Indian bitter gourd recipes for you to try. The recipes are from bitter to spicy & sweet also easy and very healthy, especially for diabetics.
All vegetables serve one or more health benefits. The taste of all vegetables differ from one another. Vegetables taste sweet, sour, salty, bitter or savory. Bitter gourd, the name itself refers to the bitter taste. Bitter gourd recipes are easy to prepare and beneficial for our health, especially for diabetics. These recipes are easy to make at home within no time. Mostly, bitter gourd recipes can be served as side dish with a combination of different rice like dal rice, rasam rice or sambar rice and chapattis.
To get benefits of bitter gourd, here are some easy Indian recipes made from Bitter Gourd:
Karela stir fry (Karela sabzi)
Ingredients:
250 gms tender karela (bitter gourd)
½ tsp red chili powder
½ tsp cumin powder
¼ tsp turmeric powder
¼ tsp garam masala powder
1 tsp fennel powder
1 tsp coriander powder
½ or 1 tsp dry mango powder
1 tbsp besan/gram flour
2 tbsp oil
a pinch of asafoetida
salt as required
Method of preparation:
First of all wash the karela in water and make slices of karela into thin round pieces. One can peel the skin if needed before slicing them. Now, heat the oil in a frying pan. Add slices of karela into oil and fry it for about 8-10 minutes till the slices become lightly browned. Now add all the dry spice powders and salt as required and cook for 5-6 minutes more on a low flame. At last, add besan or gram flour and saute it for another 4-5 minutes till the rawness of besan or gram flour goes away. Garnish the karela sabzi with coriander leaves. Serve this karela sabzi as a side dish with dal-rice, rasam-rice or sambar-rice or chapattis.
Khatta Meetha Karela (Sweet and Sour Bitter Gourd)
Ingredients:
4 tender Karelas/ Bitter Gourds
2 tbsps vegetable/ canola/ sunflower cooking oil
1 small onion chopped fine
1 tbsp coriander powder
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp ginger grated
1 tsp black mustard seeds
1 tsp garlic paste
1 tsp tamarind paste
1 tsp raw mango powder
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp grated jaggery
2 green chillies slit
6 curry leaves
Chopped coriander leaves to garnish
Salt to taste
Method of preparation:
First of all, wash all the karelas/bitter gourds with water and pat dry. Now, discard the top and tail of each karela then cut vertically down the centre. With the help of spoon, one can scrape out all the seeds from the centre. Cut the karela halves into 1/4" thick pieces and keep aside to use later.
Now heat oil in a pan and add curry leaves, mustard seeds, cumin seeds and green chillies. When they stop spluttering, add chopped onion and cook for a minute. Now add ginger and garlic and cook again for a minute. Add coriander, turmeric, red chilly powder and raw mango powder; then mix it well. Sprinkle a little water and cook for a minute, stirring well. Now add pieces of karela, tamarind paste and salt as required, stir and cook till the karela is soft.
Lastly, add jiggery and stir. Now, allow the jiggery to melt and begin to caramelize a little. Turn off fire and garnish with the coriander leaves. Now serve this recipe with hot Chapattis or Parathas.
Karela (Bitter Gourd) & Onion Subzi
Ingredients:
Bitter gourd / Karela – 2lbs (approx 1kg)
Onions – 4 small, sliced
Fennel Seeds – 1 tsp
Fennel Seed Powder – 1 tbsp
Turmeric Powder – 1/2 tsp
Oil – 2 tbsp
Lime Juice – 2 tbsp
Sugar – 1 tbsp or to taste
Salt – to taste
Method of preparation:
Wash karelas with water well, remove the top and tail of each karela and cut the karela vertically down the centre and remove the seeds with the help of spoon. Take onion and make slices of it.
In a large pan, put oil and warm it on medium heat. Now, add the fennel seeds and cook for 30 seconds then add in turmeric powder and mix it. Add onion slices and salt to this paste and mix. Cook onion for about 10-12 minutes till the onion turns into brownish and get caramelize a little. Stir frequently.
Add slices of Bitter Gourd and salt as required and mix it. Now cover the recipe with a lid and allow it cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring in between. As soon as the karela is cooked add the fennel seed powder, lemon or lime juice and sugar. Mix all the ingredients properly. Lastly, cook for another 5 minutes uncovered until all the flavors are mixed in well. Now, serve this recipe hot with chapattis or rice as a side dish.
Tips:
One can cut the karela as small as they prefer. To reduce bitterness in the karela, one can add salt to the cut karela generously, mix well and keep aside for 15 minutes. When you add this salted karelas to the onion, drain out the liquid from karelas.
Karela Cutlets
Ingredients:
250 gms bitter gourd (karela)
1 medium size carrot
1 cup peanuts, roasted and crushed peanuts
1 cup semolina (rava)
1/2 cup green peas
1/2 cup finely chopped mint leaves (phudina) leaves
1/2 cup besan (Bengal gram flour)
2 tsp ginger (adrak) paste, garlic (lehsun) paste, green chilly paste
1 tbsp thick tamarind (imli) paste
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp chilly powder
Curd as required
Oil to shallow fry the cutlets
Salt to taste
Method of preparation:
First of all peel and boil the karelas with 1 tbsp of salt till tender. On cooling; remove the seeds, squeeze out the excess water completely and chop them finely. Now, boil the green peas and grate the carrot.
Take a bowl and put in the chopped karelas, boiled peas, carrot and all other ingredients, and mix well. Now, take a small portion and shape into a round tiki and press on your palms. One can cut the cutlets into four pieces, pour a little curd and sprinkle some chaat masala powder and serve.
Bitter Pakoda/Karela Pakoda
Ingredients:
2-3 Bitter gourds
Rice Flour 1 fist full
Besan Flour 1 fist full
Hing powder 1/4 tsp
Chilli powder 1/2 tsp
Jeera / Cumin seeds 1/4 tsp
Butter 1/2 tsp
Ginger 1 tsp (finely chopped)
Few leaves of curry
Oil for deep frying
Salt as needed
Method of preparation:
Wash the bitter gourd and wipe it with towel, then cut into slices. Add sliced bitter gourd and all other ingredients in a wide vessel to mix everything to a thick paste.
Now heat oil in a deep frying pan, when it gets heated gently add the bitter gourd mix to a crispy pakoda. Fry the bitter gourd till it turns into crispy and golden brown. Serve this warm pakoda as snacks in tea time. Even, children like this recipe.
Bitter Gourdparuppu (dal)usli (stir fry)
Ingredients:
Bitter gourd (medium size) - 1
Chana dal - 1/2 cup heaped
Mustard seeds - 1tsp
Grated coconut - 3-4 tbsp
Onion - 1
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Chilly powder - 1tsp
Tamarind - small gooseberry sized
Oil - 2 tbsp.
Salt - as needed
Water - as needed
Method of preparation:
First of all, soak chana dal for an hour and grind it coarsely. Wash karela and cut it into thin round pieces, removing seeds from it. Chop the onion and keep it aside.
Now take a pan to add a tamarind extract, turmeric powder, allow it to boil and finally add bitter gourd. (This bitter gourd should be immersed in the tamarind water. So, add enough water while extracting tamarind.) Cover the vessel with a lid and allow it to cook at the medium flame. After 15-20 minutes, the water will be drained and bitter gourd will be cooked. Collect this bitter gourd in a plate.
In a kadai; heat oil and add mustard seeds, when they start to pop, add onion and fry till it becomes transparent. Now, add the grounded dal and cook on the low flame. In order to avoid the sticking of dal in the kadai start to stir frequently. If it sticks, then add a teaspoon of oil and stir well. Then, add cooked bitter gourd to the dal mixture and stir well for few minutes. Finally, add the grated coconut and stir for a minute. Now, Bitter gourd paruppu usli is ready to serve.
All vegetables serve one or more health benefits. The taste of all vegetables differ from one another. Vegetables taste sweet, sour, salty, bitter or savory. Bitter gourd, the name itself refers to the bitter taste. Bitter gourd recipes are easy to prepare and beneficial for our health, especially for diabetics. These recipes are easy to make at home within no time. Mostly, bitter gourd recipes can be served as side dish with a combination of different rice like dal rice, rasam rice or sambar rice and chapattis.
Karela stir fry (Karela sabzi)
Ingredients:
250 gms tender karela (bitter gourd)
½ tsp red chili powder
½ tsp cumin powder
¼ tsp turmeric powder
¼ tsp garam masala powder
1 tsp fennel powder
1 tsp coriander powder
½ or 1 tsp dry mango powder
1 tbsp besan/gram flour
2 tbsp oil
a pinch of asafoetida
salt as required
Method of preparation:
First of all wash the karela in water and make slices of karela into thin round pieces. One can peel the skin if needed before slicing them. Now, heat the oil in a frying pan. Add slices of karela into oil and fry it for about 8-10 minutes till the slices become lightly browned. Now add all the dry spice powders and salt as required and cook for 5-6 minutes more on a low flame. At last, add besan or gram flour and saute it for another 4-5 minutes till the rawness of besan or gram flour goes away. Garnish the karela sabzi with coriander leaves. Serve this karela sabzi as a side dish with dal-rice, rasam-rice or sambar-rice or chapattis.
Khatta Meetha Karela (Sweet and Sour Bitter Gourd)
Ingredients:
4 tender Karelas/ Bitter Gourds
2 tbsps vegetable/ canola/ sunflower cooking oil
1 small onion chopped fine
1 tbsp coriander powder
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp ginger grated
1 tsp black mustard seeds
1 tsp garlic paste
1 tsp tamarind paste
1 tsp raw mango powder
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp grated jaggery
2 green chillies slit
6 curry leaves
Chopped coriander leaves to garnish
Salt to taste
Method of preparation:
First of all, wash all the karelas/bitter gourds with water and pat dry. Now, discard the top and tail of each karela then cut vertically down the centre. With the help of spoon, one can scrape out all the seeds from the centre. Cut the karela halves into 1/4" thick pieces and keep aside to use later.
Now heat oil in a pan and add curry leaves, mustard seeds, cumin seeds and green chillies. When they stop spluttering, add chopped onion and cook for a minute. Now add ginger and garlic and cook again for a minute. Add coriander, turmeric, red chilly powder and raw mango powder; then mix it well. Sprinkle a little water and cook for a minute, stirring well. Now add pieces of karela, tamarind paste and salt as required, stir and cook till the karela is soft.
Lastly, add jiggery and stir. Now, allow the jiggery to melt and begin to caramelize a little. Turn off fire and garnish with the coriander leaves. Now serve this recipe with hot Chapattis or Parathas.
Karela (Bitter Gourd) & Onion Subzi
Bitter gourd / Karela – 2lbs (approx 1kg)
Onions – 4 small, sliced
Fennel Seeds – 1 tsp
Fennel Seed Powder – 1 tbsp
Turmeric Powder – 1/2 tsp
Oil – 2 tbsp
Lime Juice – 2 tbsp
Sugar – 1 tbsp or to taste
Salt – to taste
Method of preparation:
Wash karelas with water well, remove the top and tail of each karela and cut the karela vertically down the centre and remove the seeds with the help of spoon. Take onion and make slices of it.
In a large pan, put oil and warm it on medium heat. Now, add the fennel seeds and cook for 30 seconds then add in turmeric powder and mix it. Add onion slices and salt to this paste and mix. Cook onion for about 10-12 minutes till the onion turns into brownish and get caramelize a little. Stir frequently.
Add slices of Bitter Gourd and salt as required and mix it. Now cover the recipe with a lid and allow it cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring in between. As soon as the karela is cooked add the fennel seed powder, lemon or lime juice and sugar. Mix all the ingredients properly. Lastly, cook for another 5 minutes uncovered until all the flavors are mixed in well. Now, serve this recipe hot with chapattis or rice as a side dish.
Tips:
One can cut the karela as small as they prefer. To reduce bitterness in the karela, one can add salt to the cut karela generously, mix well and keep aside for 15 minutes. When you add this salted karelas to the onion, drain out the liquid from karelas.
Karela Cutlets
Ingredients:
250 gms bitter gourd (karela)
1 medium size carrot
1 cup peanuts, roasted and crushed peanuts
1 cup semolina (rava)
1/2 cup green peas
1/2 cup finely chopped mint leaves (phudina) leaves
1/2 cup besan (Bengal gram flour)
2 tsp ginger (adrak) paste, garlic (lehsun) paste, green chilly paste
1 tbsp thick tamarind (imli) paste
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp chilly powder
Curd as required
Oil to shallow fry the cutlets
Salt to taste
Method of preparation:
First of all peel and boil the karelas with 1 tbsp of salt till tender. On cooling; remove the seeds, squeeze out the excess water completely and chop them finely. Now, boil the green peas and grate the carrot.
Take a bowl and put in the chopped karelas, boiled peas, carrot and all other ingredients, and mix well. Now, take a small portion and shape into a round tiki and press on your palms. One can cut the cutlets into four pieces, pour a little curd and sprinkle some chaat masala powder and serve.
Bitter Pakoda/Karela Pakoda
2-3 Bitter gourds
Rice Flour 1 fist full
Besan Flour 1 fist full
Hing powder 1/4 tsp
Chilli powder 1/2 tsp
Jeera / Cumin seeds 1/4 tsp
Butter 1/2 tsp
Ginger 1 tsp (finely chopped)
Few leaves of curry
Oil for deep frying
Salt as needed
Method of preparation:
Wash the bitter gourd and wipe it with towel, then cut into slices. Add sliced bitter gourd and all other ingredients in a wide vessel to mix everything to a thick paste.
Now heat oil in a deep frying pan, when it gets heated gently add the bitter gourd mix to a crispy pakoda. Fry the bitter gourd till it turns into crispy and golden brown. Serve this warm pakoda as snacks in tea time. Even, children like this recipe.
Bitter Gourdparuppu (dal)usli (stir fry)
Ingredients:
Bitter gourd (medium size) - 1
Chana dal - 1/2 cup heaped
Mustard seeds - 1tsp
Grated coconut - 3-4 tbsp
Onion - 1
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Chilly powder - 1tsp
Tamarind - small gooseberry sized
Oil - 2 tbsp.
Salt - as needed
Water - as needed
Method of preparation:
First of all, soak chana dal for an hour and grind it coarsely. Wash karela and cut it into thin round pieces, removing seeds from it. Chop the onion and keep it aside.
Now take a pan to add a tamarind extract, turmeric powder, allow it to boil and finally add bitter gourd. (This bitter gourd should be immersed in the tamarind water. So, add enough water while extracting tamarind.) Cover the vessel with a lid and allow it to cook at the medium flame. After 15-20 minutes, the water will be drained and bitter gourd will be cooked. Collect this bitter gourd in a plate.
In a kadai; heat oil and add mustard seeds, when they start to pop, add onion and fry till it becomes transparent. Now, add the grounded dal and cook on the low flame. In order to avoid the sticking of dal in the kadai start to stir frequently. If it sticks, then add a teaspoon of oil and stir well. Then, add cooked bitter gourd to the dal mixture and stir well for few minutes. Finally, add the grated coconut and stir for a minute. Now, Bitter gourd paruppu usli is ready to serve.
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