Karela Sabzi Recipe: Punjabi Karela Sabzi Recipe

After the sweet, creamy and yummy Custard Apple Icecream Recipe post, my next post is on the bitter, dry and tasty Karela (Bitter Gourd/Bitter Melon) Sabzi. Quite a contrast…. isn’t it?

This is the Punjabi Recipe of Karela Sabzi from my mom-in-law. It is a dry karela sabzi and makes use of only one additional vegetable in it besides the spices… onions.

This is a quick and easy version which is often made in our house, when we do not have enough time for making Bharwan Karela (Stuffed Karela – Bitter Gourd Sabzi). The ingredients used are similar in both these recipes, except for the method of cooking. Now before I mention step by step details about the recipe, lets take a sneak peek on the health benefits of Karela/Bitter Gourd:

1. Purifies blood.
2. Excellent for people having diabetes.
3. Improves constipation and piles.
4. Helpful in healing skin disorders.
5. Besides being good in B Vitamins and Vitamin C, it is also rich in minerals like Iron, Calcium and Phosphorous.

I always make sure that I atleast include Karela in our food once a week. It is in fact one of my favorite veggie and I simply love this recipe, the bharwan karela that my mom-in-law makes and the karela chips which my mother makes. Also the Bengali recipe of Shukto is one of the bittergourd recipes that I like. So now for the karela recipe.

Ingredients for the Punjabi Karela Sabzi:

Servings: 3-4
Preparation Time: 5-10 mins (20-30 mins more if you keep the chopped karela with salt)
Cooking Time: 20 mins

• 5-6 medium sized karela/bitter gourd
• 2 or 3 medium sized onions
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/4 tsp red chili powder
• 1/4 tsp garam masala powder
• 1/4 or 1/2 tsp amchur powder
• 2 tbsp oil
• salt

Method to make the Punjabi Karela Sabzi:

• Peel the karelas. Wash them in running water. Chop them. You can even slice them. I never discard the seeds when cooking karela, but I know some people do it. Discarding or not discarding the seeds…. I leave that to you.

• Slice the onions too.

• In a kadai or pan, heat oil. Add the chopped or sliced bitter gourds.

• Saute the karela/bitter gourd on medium heat for 2 minutes. Lower the flame and saute for 2-3 minutes more.

• Add the sliced onions.

• Mix the sliced onions with the karela/bitter gourd.

• Saute for 2-3 minutes.

• Now add the turmeric powder, red chili powder and salt.

• Stir. Cook the sabzi without any lid for 7-8 minutes till the both the karela and onions are cooked and sauted well. The onions will become brown. Keep on stirring in between. Check the seasoning. Add more red chili powder or salt if required.
• When the karela sabzi is ready, sprinkle the amchur and garam masala powder. Mix it with the entire sabzi.

• Garnishing with chopped cilantro/coriander leaves is optional.
• Serve with phulkas, parathas and a bowl of fresh plain curd/yoghurt or sweetened curd/yoghurt. It also goes very well as a side vegetable dish or accompaniment with the combination of dal rice or kadhi chawal ( punjabi curd kadhi with rice)

Note: I do not soak the karela/bitter gourds in salted water or even sprinkle salt on them. I personally like the bitter taste, so I do not do use salt to remove the bitterness. In India, we do not get extremely bitter karelas. But, if you get the karela which are very bitter, than mix some salt on the chopped karela and keep aside for 20-30 minutes. The salt extracts the bitterness. Rinse in water and then use in the recipe.

Alternatively, you could also put them in salted water. Keep them in the salted water for 20-30 minutes. Rinse them with fresh water and then add them to the recipe.

the karela sabzi recipe details below:

5.0 from 1 reviews

Punjabi Karela Sabzi Recipe

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

30 mins

 

karela sabzi – dry bitter gourd curry

Author: dassana

Recipe type: side dish

Cuisine: north indian

Ingredients

• 5-6 medium sized karela/bitter gourd
• 2 or 3 medium sized onions
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• ¼ tsp red chili powder
• ¼ tsp garam masala powder
• ¼ or ½ tsp amchur powder
• 2 tbsp oil
• salt

Instructions

1. Peel the karelas. Wash them in running water. Chop them. You can even slice them. I never discard the seeds when cooking karela, but I know some people do it. Discarding or not discarding the seeds…. I leave that to you.
2. Slice the onions too.
3. In a kadai or pan, heat oil. Add the chopped or sliced bitter gourds.
4. Saute the bitter gourd on medium heat for 2 minutes. Lower the flame and saute for 2-3 minutes more.
5. Add the sliced onions.
6. Mix the sliced onions with the bitter gourd.
7. Saute for 2-3 minutes.
8. Now add the turmeric powder, red chili powder and salt.
9. Stir. Cook the sabzi without any lid for 7-8 minutes till the both the karela and onions are cooked and sauted well. The onions will become brown. Keep on stirring in between. Check the seasoning. Add more red chili powder or salt if required.
10. When the sabzi is ready, sprinkle the amchur and garam masala powder. Mix it with the entire sabzi.
11. Garnishing with chopped cilantro/coriander leaves is optional.
12. Serve Karela Sabzi with phulkas, parathas and a bowl of fresh plain curd/yoghurt or sweetened curd/yoghurt. Karela Sabzi also goes very well as a side vegetable dish or accompaniment with the combination of dal rice or kadhi chawal ( punjabi curd kadhi with rice)

Nutrition Information

Serving size: 4

3.2.1652