Stuffed Bitter gourds with soy granules – Bharwan karela

Delhi and it’s people has taught me plenty. Majority are foodies 😀 and that is the part of Delhi i love ❤

Bitter gourds were never my favorite vegetable, till Delhi happened 😉 Of course, we Bongs too know how to cook this health packed vegetable in several ways, but Delhi added another tangent to this wonder vegetable.

The day i tasted stuffed bitter gourds, i fell in love with this vegetable ❤

Since then i have made this with several kinds of stuffing, from conventional to non- conventional, but this version i like the best. 🙂

It is scientifically proven that bitter gourds lower blood glucose !!! With a diabetic husband, this vegetable is cooked almost on a regular basis in my kitchen in various versions.

Soy granules are protein packed and with bitter gourd it becomes fantastic health combination. Moreover, i have learnt to use minimal oil in cooking this version 🙂

 

pic source : Google

Here’s what i did………..

INGREDIENTS

6 nos – bitter gourd (karela)

1 nos – large onion (finely chopped)

1 cup – soy granules (soaked in water)

1 tsp – ginger paste

2 tbsp – tomato puree

1 tsp – coriander seed powder

1/2 tsp – fennel powder

1 tsp – dried mango powder (amchur)

1 tsp – tumeric powder

1 tsp – red chili powder

1/2 cup – yogurt (optional)

salt to taste

1 cup – water

thread for tying

1 1/2 tsp + 3 tsp – oil + for brushing

METHOD

Cut off the ends of the bitter gourds. Cut them from the center in such a way to keep the other side intact. Gently scoop out the seeds. One may use the seeds too in stuffing, but i opted out.

Soak the bitter gourds in salted water for a couple of hours. This will help in reducing the bitterness.

Prepare the stuffing by heating 1 1/2 tsp oil in a wok. Add the chopped onion and fry till translucent. Add the ginger paste and fry for a min. Pour in the tomato puree and all the dry spices. Season with salt and cook for 2 – 3 mins till it releases aroma of the spices. Squeeze out the water from the soy granules and add this to the cooking spices. (You can add the yoghurt at this juncture, but then lessen the quantity of dried mango powder).

Add a cup of water, lower the flame and cook till moisture dries up. Take it off fire and allow it to cool.

Once the stuffing cools, drain out the water from the bitter gourds and pat dry with kitchen paper. Gently stuff the gourds and tie them up with thread. Brush the gourds with some oil.

In the same wok, heat 3 tsp oil and gently slide in the tied gourds. Lower the flame and cook. Every few mins give it a stir and roll it over so that it gets fried from all sides.

Once the gourds are done, take them out on a kitchen paper.

Serve hot with paranthas or chapatis.

Note :

1.  It can be served with fried onions too.
2. Untie before serving.
3. One may scrape the gourds, which usually i have seen the Delhites doing, but i rather like to keep it.

Happy cooking !!! 🙂

Cheers !!! 😉

 

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