STUFFED BITTERGOURD [ BHARLI KARLE ]

Karela /bitter gourd, although quite bitter when raw ,has a wonderful taste once it is cooked properly. It’s a low calorie vegetable with many nutritional benefits. At my place, I used to make karela stir fries, stuffed karela or chips. My recipe is inspired by my mother-in-law. Before marriage, was not fond of karela but now-a-days I make them very often.

INGREDIENTS:
250 gms Bitter gourd
5-6 Garlic Cloves
1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
2 teaspoon Garam masala
2 teaspoon Red chilly powder
1/2 teaspoon Turmeric Powder 
Salt as needed
2 tablespoon+ 1 tablespoon Oil
Lemon
METHOD

STEP 1 - Wash Bitter Gourds,

make a vertical slit on each.

STEP 2 - Now fill a little turmeric and salt in that slit.
STEP 3 - Put them in a container and put some lemon juice on them.

STEP 4 - Keep these filled gourds for minimum 5-6 hours. After that squeeze them with your palms and remove the water from it.

STEP 5 - Wash them and remove all the water from it and cut into small 2" size pieces .

STEP 6 - Take a deep pan, add oil to it and half fry the gourds. Don't put all together, put 2-3 pieces at one time. Now all pieces half fried, put them aside.

STEP 7 - Now take crushed garlic, add red chilly powder, turmeric, garam masala, coriander powder and mix it.

STEP 8 - Now stuff a little masala in each piece of gourd.

STEP 9 - Once all pieces stuffed , put the kadhai on gas , add oil in it and put all pieces in it .

STEP 10 - Cook them covered stirring at short intervals . Don't use water for cooking , cook on low flame .

            Serve them with chapatti , bhakri or you can have them with simple dal chawal.