Stuffed Bitter Gourd
Bitter gourds stuffed with a smoky, chilli-infused, tangy coconut filling
Ingredients
- 6 bitter gourds (karela),
- 1½ tbsp Groundnut or any other neutral vegetable oil
- Turmeric powder
- Salt
- Thread or kitchen twine to tie the bitter gourds
For the stuffing masala
- 1 kopra or dried coconut, cut into small slices
- 175 g peanuts
- 5 cloves of garlic
- 3 dried Kashmiri chillies
- 2 dried Bydagi chillies
- 2 dried Sankeshwari chillies
- ½ tbsp tamarind paste or pulp
- 1 tbsp jaggery
- A pinch of asafoetida
- Salt
Instructions
- Top and tail the bitter gourds. Cut in a slit along its length, leaving a centimetre at both ends. Using a spoon, scoop out the pulp and seeds.
- Rub the insides on the gourds with turmeric and salt and place upside-down in a colander to drain.
- To make the stuffing, heat a pan on low heat and roast the peanuts till they acquire a light char and give off a nutty aroma. Cool and rub off the papery skin.
- Add the sliced pieces of kopra into the same pan and roast, stirring intermittently. Once the coconut chips are golden brown, remove and cool.
- Next, roast the garlic, taking care not to burn them. Finally, lightly toast the dried chillies.
- Once all the roasted ingredients have cooled, grind them in a spice grinder along with the tamarind, asafoetida, jaggery and salt. Don't use water. You should have a coarse mixture.
- Stuff the drained bitter gourds with the ground masala and tie them securely with kitchen twine.
- Heat oil in a pan on medium heat till fairly hot and place the stuffed gourds in the pan, taking care not to overcrowd them. Cover the pan and cook the bitter gourd, turning them every 3-4 minutes, so that they are fried on all sides. Covering the pan will allow steam to cook the vegetable. In about 20 minutes, they should be softened and done as well as evenly browned.