Bitter Gourd Spiced Salad, also known as Karela Ko Achar, is a tantalizingly tangy and savoury dish that packs a flavourful punch. While the taste of bitter gourd may be polarising, it is a vegetable that is deeply rooted in various cultural cuisines and has been used for its medicinal properties for centuries. The bitterness of the gourd can be an acquired taste, much like the first sip of a strong coffee, but with a little preparation, it can become a beloved addition to any meal.
Prep Time:15minutes mins
Cook Time;15minutes mins
Course;dinner, lunch, Starters and appetizer
Cuisine:nepal
Servings;6
Calories;161 kcal
Ingredients:
500 grams bitter gourd
1 red onion
1 tomato
3 fresh chilly
4 cloves garlic
2 dried chilly
3 tablespoon sesame powder
½ teaspoon timmur
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon turmeric
5 tablespoon vegetable oil
5 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
3 stalks fresh coriander finely chopped
Instructions:
Prepare the Bitter Gourd
Begin by washing and then Julienne/French cut the bitter gourds into small finger sized pieces.
Place them in a pot of boiling water with some salt and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Boil them for around 20 minutes.
Once done, turn off the heat, drain the water, and wash the bitter gourds with clean cold water to stop them from cooking further.
Drain the water out and squeeze out the water then transfer bitter gourd to a large bowl ready to fry later.
Make the Sesame powder
In a pan, roast the sesame seeds shaking it constantly. Once the seeds start to pop, turn off the heat and transfer them to a mortar and pestle then coarsely grind (you can also use a machine grinder). Add it to the bitter gourds in the bowl.
Make the tomato paste
Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a pan. Then add the tomato, Onion and fresh chillies, coriander powder and quickly flash fry for 2-3 minutes only. You don't want to fully cook the ingredients.
Leave to cool for 5 minutes then grind them to a paste using a machine grinder or mortar and pestle.
Fry the bitter gourd and spices
In a small pan, heat about 4 tablespoons of vegetable oil until it starts smoking slightly.
Add the dried chilly, finely chopped garlic and turmeric powder. Fry for 10-15 seconds then add the boiled bitter gourd. Fry for 2-3 minutes turn off the heat and pour the mixture into a bowl
Mix and Season
Combine the tomato paste, sesame powder and fried bitter gourd. Squeeze the lemon juice, add salt, add timmur powder and chopped fresh coriander to the bitter gourd mix. Combine all the ingredients together thoroughly. Make sure that the spices are well mixed with the bitter gourds. Enjoy!
