Name: Stuffed Bittergourd
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Ingredients: To remove the bitterness:; 4 Bitter gourd (Small); 1 Tbsp Salt; 1 Tbsp Lime juice; For the filling:; 1 tsp Cumin seeds; 2 Tbsp Oil; A pinch asafoetida; 2 Tbsp Coriander powder; 2 Tbsp Gram flour; Salt as required; 1 Tbsp Dry mango powder; ½ tsp Turmeric; ½ tsp red chilli powder; ½ tsp sugar; For cooking:; 1 Tbsp Oil; Salt as required

Stuffed Bittergourd

14 Apr 2015

by Deepthi (in memoriam)

Prep Time

60 minutes

Cook Time

30 minutes

Total Time

1 hour, 30 minutes

Background

Bitter gourd can be prepared in many different ways. Despite its bitter taste, this is one vegetable that is my favourite. This recipe has different flavours of bitterness, sourness, sweetness and spiciness. It goes well with steamed rice.

Ingredients

To remove the bitterness:
4 Bitter gourd (Small)
1 Tbsp Salt
1 Tbsp Lime juice
For the filling:
1 tsp Cumin seeds
2 Tbsp Oil
A pinch asafoetida
2 Tbsp Coriander powder
2 Tbsp Gram flour
Salt as required
1 Tbsp Dry mango powder
½ tsp Turmeric
½ tsp red chilli powder
½ tsp sugar
For cooking:
1 Tbsp Oil
Salt as required

Instructions

Clean the bitter gourd with water thoroughly. Scrape the bitter gourds and keep the scrape aside.
Make a slit in the bitter gourds and remove the seeds.
Apply the salt and lime juice to the bitter gourds and scrapes in a bowl and set it aside for an hour.
Squeeze out the juice from the bitter gourds and the scrapes. Wash the bitter gourds in hot water twice and squeeze out all the water.
Keep the scrapings aside.
Heat oil in a pan and when it is hot, add the cumin seeds and let them splutter.
Add asafoetida and the scrapings and sauté for 2 min.
Add the gram flour and fry for a minute taking care not to burn the mixture.
Add all the other dry spices, coriander powder, turmeric, chilli powder, sugar and mango powder. Sauté for a minute and then turn off the heat.
Fill this stuffing in the bitter gourds and tie them with thread, so that the filling is secured inside.
Heat oil in a pan, add the bitter gourds and cook under lid for 5 min and turn them over and cook again for 5 min.
Cook all the bitter gourds until they are tender. If there is any unused filling, it can be added to the bitter gourds when they are frying.
Once all the bitter gourds are cooked and tender, they are ready to serve.