Bharva Karela Masala | Stuffed Bitter Gourd Gravy

If you are wondering what I am doing without blogging at space for last four days, I was tired and sleeping like kumbakarnan for the last couple of days. Last Saturday, the social club of my organization has organized a family get together at Cedar Point AmusementPark. Read it again, it’s Amusement park. I wish to write about my experiences in the park sometime soon. What did I do there? I went for all those terrific rides, walked for the entire day, experienced bumpy largest fastest tallest rides and finally returned back without energy and sun tan!  As a result, I was exhausted and in energy saving mode. Now, here I am !

Bharva Karela masala is a stuffed dish in which bitter gourd is stuffed with grounded spices and roasted in oil. The bharva karela itself is a dry dish but when coupled with spicy gravy, it makes a delicious accompaniment for rice. Bitter gourd is known for its health benefits but the bitter taste which it carries makes it as a “ Big No Veggies” for kids and even for adults.  Bitter gourds are chopped and soaked in salt to reduce it bitterness. Later, it is washed thoroughly with water and then stuffed with grounded peanut coconut spicy masala. The gravy is flavorful prepared with peanut and coconut. You will be amazed to see that the bitterness would have been reduced and the bitter gourd tastes delicious with the masala. Serve with hot rice and roasted pappad.

Ingredients:

• 2 Bitter Gourd
• ½ teaspoon Salt
• For stuffing:
• ¼ cup Peanut
• ¼ cup Grated coconut
• 3 Garlic pods
• 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
• ½ teaspoon jaggery
• 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder
• 2 teaspoon Red chili powder
• ½ teaspoon Coriander Powder
• ½ teaspoon Cumin powder
• ½ teaspoon Tamarind paste
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 teaspoon Oil
• For gravy
  • ¼ cup peanut
  • ¼ cup Grated coconut
  • 2 Garlic pods
  • 1 teaspoon Jaggery
  • 2 teaspoon Red Chili Powder
  • ½ teaspoon Coriander powder
  • ½ teaspoon Cumin Powder
  • 2 teaspoon Oil
  • 1 tablespoon Tamarind Paste
  • 1 ½ Cup of water
  • ½ teaspoon salt (adjustable)

Method:

• Wash karela and cut them into pieces. Grate the outer surface of the Bitter gourd with a knife to reduce bitterness. Remove the seeds inside and add salt with the pieces. Leave them aside for ten minutes. You would see that the vegetable would have given some water. Squeeze the excess water and wash them completely. Doing so will reduce bitterness to a considerate level. Slice the gourds and keep them aside
• In a medium pot, add water and bring it to boil. Cook karelas in boiling water until the skin become tender. Do not overcook. Drain the hot water and allow it to cool down completely.
• Dry roast peanut and reserve half of it for stuffing and another half for gravy
• Dry roast grated coconut until it turns slightly brown. Reserve half of the batch for stuffing and the remaining half for gravy
• In a small pan, add oil and once the oil is hot, add cumin seeds. Fry them until they turn brownish.
• Add garlic pods and fry them until they turn brownish
• In a mixer, add roasted peanut, roasted coconut, garlic pods, jeera, jaggery, red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, salt and grind them coarsely. Do not add water
• Add a teaspoon of oil to the grounded powder and mix them well
• Stuff the spice powders inside the bitter gourd;
• In a medium sized frying pan. Add remaining oil and heat them over medium heat
• Place the stuffed karelas in the pan and roasted until the outer skin turns brownish.
• In a medium sized pan, add  a half teaspoon of oil. Once the oil is hot, add garlic pods and cook until they turn brownish

• Add the roasted peanut, coconut and garlic pods in a mixer. Grind them into a fine paste.
• In the same pan, add remaining oil and heat it over medium heat.
• Add the grounded powders, red chili powder, coriander powder, jaggery, and cumin powder. Combine them well.
• Cook over medium flame until the raw smell of powder goes off and oil oozes out from the powders
• At this stage, add tamarind paste and mentioned amount of water. Cook with lid covered over medium flame until the gravy is reduced and grounded powders are absorbed completely.
• Add required amount of salt and switch off the flame.
• Pour the gravy over the karelas and serve them with hot rice and ghee.