Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Servings: 2 Servings

Bitter is a taste too. Just like we include sweet, salt and sour tastes in our food it is recommended to include bitter.

I have hated bitter gourd for most of my growing years. I don’t even remember tasting it. I think I disliked it even without tasting it simply because it was bitter.

Karela is known for its health properties. With age I have not only started liking it, I have also started relishing it and choosing it over other dishes too sometimes. It is an acquired taste for sure and cooked in the right way it can be enjoyed too.Try this tangy hot sweet and sour dish.

Ingredients

• Bittergourd/ Karela: 1 ½ cups (chopped into cubes)
• Tamarind extract: 2 tbsp
• Podi-gun-powder: 2 tbs
• Jaggery powder: 1 tbsp
• Sambar powder: 2 tbsp
• Red chili: 1 no
• Mustard seeds: ½ tsp
• Methi Seeds: ¼ tsp
• Curry leaves: 1 sprig
• Hing: 2 pinches
• Turmeric powder: ½ tsp
• Rock salt: to taste

Method

• Apply turmeric powder and salt on cut bitter gourd pieces and steam until cooked soft.
• Heat a pan and dry roast methi seeds, mustard seeds, red chilis, and curry leaves.
• When methi seeds are slightly browned, add steamed karela pieces and tamarind extract, and sambar powder and cook together stirring continuously.
• Add jaggery powder and half a cup of water and simmer for 3-4 minutes.
• Add Podi- Gun powder and mix well. Taste to adjust the salt.
• Reduce flame and cover and cook for 2 mins and turn off the flame.
• Serve as a side dish with rice, roti or dosa.

Wellcure Tip:

• The bitter gourd is steamed with salt and the gun powder too has salt in it. So add salt carefully.

Eating Guide:

• Food group: Vegetables

• It can be easily consumed during meals, combined with other food groups.

• Lightly cooked/steamed veggies ensure the water content and enzymes are retained, both a must for good digestion and overall nourishment through food!

Disclaimer: The health journeys, blogs, videos and all other content on Wellcure is for educational purposes only and is not to be considered a ‘medical advice’ ‘prescription’ or a ‘cure’ for diseases. Any specific changes by users, in medication, food & lifestyle, must be done under the guidance of licensed health practitioners. The views expressed by the users are their personal views and Wellcure claims no responsibility for them.