Bharwa Karela(with Besan) | Stuffed Bittergourd recipe | Punjabi style Bharwan Karela

I have mentioned many times earlier in my posts that bitter gourd is a favorite vegetable to TH and it finds its place in our menu almost every week.He likes it in any form like fry, curry or stuffed version but I prefer mostly the stuffed version. I have already posted a south Indian version of stuffed bittergourd which tastes absolutely delicious with rice and also another stuffed bittergourd with onion masala(Kakarakaya Ullipaya Karam) and today I am posting a Punjabi style of Bharwa Karela with Besan. One can prepare the filling even with boiled and mashed aloo which also tastes good,I will post it some time later.These stuffed Bittergourds can be stored in refrigerator for upto 2 days.Also you can store the masala and use the same to stuff the big bajji mirch to prepare bharwa mirch the other day.

I somehow like the stuffed vegetable recipes and Bharwa mirch, Bharwa Bhindi, Bharwa Baingan, Bharwa Tendli and Bharwa Karela - all these dishes appear quite regularly at my place.Do not got by looks of this dish, take my words and try it and you agree that this is the best way to eat bitter gourd which is not even bitter.

Check out other stuffed vegetable recipes in my blog:

• Stuffed Karela - south Indian style
• Stuffed Mirch-Andhra Style
• Kakarakaya Ullipaya Karam/Stuffed Bitter gourd
• Dondakaya Ullipaya Karam | Stuffed Ivy Gourd
• Vankaya Kobbari Karam | Stuffed Brinjals with fresh Coconut
• Vankaya Ullipaya Karam/Stuffed Brinjal with Onion

Bharwa Karela | Stuffed Bitter gourd Recipe:

Serves 3-4 | Author: Prathibha

Prep time: 15 mins | Cooking time: 30 mins | Total time: 45 mins

Cuisine: North Indian | Category: Side dish - Curry

Ingredients:

8-10 Small Bittergourds

1 cup Chickpea flour/Besan

1 Onion,finely chopped

1.5 tsp Ginger-Garlic paste

2 tbsp chopped Coriander leaves

1 tbsp Coriander powder

2 tsp Red chili powder

2 tsp Amchur powder

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

1/4 tsp Garam masala

Salt to taste

1 tsp Cumin seeds

3-4 tbsp Oil

Method:

• Wash and peel the bitter gourds and make a slit vertically on one side keeping the edges intact and scoop out the flesh and seeds and give a nice massage with salt internally and externally and place them in a box and sprinkle a bit of wheat flour and leave it in refrigerator overnight or for at least 2-3 hours.

• In a pan dry roast besan until it becomes aromatic and keep it aside.
• In a kadai heat 1.5 tbsp of oil and crackle cumin seeds and add ginger garlic paste and fry for half a minute.

• Add finely chopped onions and fry until they turn translucent.Add all the dry spices - red chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala, turmeric powder, amchur powder and salt and fry for another minute.
• Add roasted besan to it and mix it nicely and let the mixture cool down a bit.
• Add coriander leaves and mix well.

• Drain the excess water from the bitter gourds and stuff them with the besan mixture nicely and tie each karela tightly with a thread so that the mixture gets sealed nicely.

• Heat 2-3 tbsp of oil in a wide pan and place the stuffed karelas and fry them on low-medium flame until they turn brown on all the sides by turning them in between.
• While serving remove the tied threads from the karelas.

Serve them hot with rice/roti/paratha.

Notes:

1. As we remove the skin of the bitter gourd and massage it with salt and marinate it for long, the bitterness would almost go.But if you like you can keep the skin of the bitter gourd and also marinate for less time or avoid marinating it..
2. You can vary the quantity of spices as per your taste.
3. You can use the same masala to stuff the big bajji mirchi to prepare bharwa mirch.

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