Barlela karle (Stuffed bitter gourd)

It's been long time I have wrote anything on this page.. So once again starting the journey of my favorite passion with stuffed karela.  This dish will make you fall in love with karelas over and over again. Even my tiny tot can tolerate the bitterness of karela. And it's divine taste takes me to a different world altogether. Since I got request from many of my friends for the receipe I thought of posting it here. 

I had written a step by step procedure.  It might look as a lengthy process but believe me it is not. So here we go...... 

Ingredients 

Bitter gourd- 5 to 7(I have chosen small ones) 

Onion - 1 finely chopped
Garlic - 4 to 5 cloves crushed 

Roasted besan -  2 tbsp

Roasted peanuts  -  2 tbsp

Roasted dry coconut (grated)  2 tbsp

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Asafoetida (heeng pd) -  3 pinch 

Turmeric pd -  1tsp

Kashmiri chilli pd - 1 tsp 

Jeera pd -  1 tsp 

Coriander pd -  1 tsp
Garam masala  -  1 tsp
Fennel pd( perinjeeragam pd) -  1 tsp 

Amchur pd - 1 tsp / Tamarind 

Jaggery -   2 tbsp

Salt as required 

Procedure 

Wash the karela and wipe them dry. I have chosen really small tender ones which are available here in Mumbai.. But you can even do this with the long ones.. 

Now using a peeler gently peel off the skin of all the karelas and collect it in a plate.

Gently cut the karela along the length on one side and flesh out the seeds and the mesh.

Add some  salt to the peeled skin mix well and keep aside.
Add salt to the collected flesh and seeds, keep aside.
Rub some salt gently inside the karela and keep aside for half an hour.

Now after half hour, squeeze off the excess water from the skin, flesh and also squeeze the karela gently.

Now heat a pan and add besan or kadala parippu podi/channa dal pd and roast it on low fire till it gives a light brown color.

Remove and keep it in a plate.
In the same pan,  dry roast grated dry coconut.  If you do not have dry coconut then you can even add fresh grated coconut.  Do not burn it. Remove and keep aside.

I  already had stored  peanuts roasted and powdered.  If you don't have it, then roast the peanuts too, separate the skin and grind it to coarse powder.

Now pour 2tbspn refined oil and add Cumin seeds.

Once they splutter add heeng and crushed garlic and give a stir.

Then add finely chopped onion.  Once they turn light brown, lower the flame and add all the spices one by one - turmeric pd, Kashmiri chilli pd, Coriander pd, Jeera pd, Fennel pd, garam masala pd and sauté well for two minutes.

Add the peeled skin and the flesh and seeds of the karela.

Then add Amchur pd. If you don't have it add tamarind 2 to 3 small pieces. Add salt carefully as we had already put salt before. Add Roasted coconut, besan and peanut powder.   Finally add grated jaggery.  Give a stir.  Remove from fire.

Let it cool.  Grind it coarsely.
You can check the taste of this masala at this point and add salt, jaggery or tamarind whichever required. This masala itself tastes divine.
Fill the inside of each karela with the masala.

Pour oil.  Add Cumin seeds,  and keep on low flame.  Add heeng,   haldi pd, chilli pd,  and stir. (This is completely optional)

 Place the karelas into the oil and shallow fry from all sides till it is brown and cooked on all sides.

You can tie the karelas with a thread and deep fry them too. You can garnish with some fresh grated coconut.

Tips 

If the karela is long you can cut it into small cylindrical pieces, stuff the masala and tie with a thread. 

If you are falling short of time, you can simply remove the seeds and keep it aside.. Finely chop the karela, put salt and squeeze off the excess water after some time.. Follow the same procedure until the stuffing with seeds.  Grind coarsely. Heat pan add add chopped karela and fry for few minutes. Add the ground paste. Mix well and cook.  This should also taste equally divine.... 

So what are you waiting for. Include this veggie too in your favorite list.