Stuffed Karela (Stuffed Bitter Gourd)

I love this recipe, have made it many times over but don't remember where it comes from. It's a great way to make bitter gourds which are probably the least popular vegetables in the world. some people also do a meat stuffing, will post a different recipe for that later.

• Ready In: 55 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1  kg bitter melon
• 1  tablespoon red chili powder
• 1  teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  coriander seed, roughly ground
• 1  teaspoon fennel seed
• 1⁄2 teaspoon nigella seeds
• 1  tablespoon  ginger-garlic paste
• 1⁄2 cup  thick tamarind juice
•  salt
• 4  large onions, chopped fine
•  string
•  oil (for frying)

Directions

1. wash bitter gourds and remove scaly skin with a potato peeler + rub with a little salt + brown sugar. Put aside for 1 hour.
2. (p.s. make sure not to peel off too much skin - it just shouldn't look green any more).
3. Heat oil.
4. Add onions + all spices apart from the tamarind juice.
5. Sauté. DON’T burn the onions.
6. When tender, remove from oil and drain the mixture.
7. Cool.
8. Rub off excess salt+ sugar mixture from bigger gourds or wash off and pat dry with paper towels.
9. Make a slit down the bitter gourds lengthwise – remove the seeds + stuffing but don’t discard.
10. Stuff ½ the onion mixture inside + add the seeds (only add very little if you don’t like a very bitter taste- u can also place a little tamarind juice inside each bitter gourd).
11. Bind by wrapping with thread so no stuffing escapes and fry the karela till golden brown.
12. In separate pan, add the remaining onion mixture + tamarind juice + a little oil + stuffed bitter gourds.
13. Cover and simmer 10 minutes Serve.