Bitter gourd is a vegetable that has high medical and nutritive benefits to the body because of the bitterness that it brings along with it. Hence it is important that we don’t wash away the bitterness by boiling it in water and discarding the water to get rid of the bitterness. The bitter taste can be subdued with the addition of dry mango powder and jaggery. The addition of crunchy roasted peanuts and coriander enhances the texture and the flavour of this healthy vegetable.
Gujarati’s have a famous saying “Aav re varsad, dhebariyo parsad, uni uni rotli ne karela nu shaak” meaning “Allow the rains to pour heavily and come savor the delicious bitter gourd with hot puffed flat bread”. So come the rains and you will find grandmothers singing this sweet poem to entice the family to eat this healthy vegetable.
Makes: 3-4 servings
Ingredients
2 cups of diced bitter gourd, steamed*
¼ teaspoon mustard seeds
¼ teaspoon cumin seeds
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
¼ teaspoon asafoetida powder
½ teaspoon red chilli powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder
¼ teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon dry mango powder
4-5 curry leaves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon of jaggery, or more to suit your taste
¼ cup of roasted crushed peanuts
2 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons of freshly chopped coriander leaves
salt to taste
Method
Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan on medium high; add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves and allow them to crackle. To this add the asafoetida, turmeric powder and stir in the steamed bitter gourd and simmer for a few minutes. Stir in the red chilli powder, dry mango powder, coriander powder and cumin powder and jaggery. Continue to stir until the jaggery melts and gets well combined into the vegetable.
Turn the heat to low and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. You will notice that the mixture releases a nutty aroma and looks shiny with the melted jaggery. Turn off the heat at this stage and stir in the crushed peanuts and coriander leaves. Serve hot.
Gujarati’s have a famous saying “Aav re varsad, dhebariyo parsad, uni uni rotli ne karela nu shaak” meaning “Allow the rains to pour heavily and come savor the delicious bitter gourd with hot puffed flat bread”. So come the rains and you will find grandmothers singing this sweet poem to entice the family to eat this healthy vegetable.
Makes: 3-4 servings
Ingredients
2 cups of diced bitter gourd, steamed*
¼ teaspoon mustard seeds
¼ teaspoon cumin seeds
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
¼ teaspoon asafoetida powder
½ teaspoon red chilli powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder
¼ teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon dry mango powder
4-5 curry leaves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon of jaggery, or more to suit your taste
¼ cup of roasted crushed peanuts
2 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons of freshly chopped coriander leaves
salt to taste
Method
Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan on medium high; add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves and allow them to crackle. To this add the asafoetida, turmeric powder and stir in the steamed bitter gourd and simmer for a few minutes. Stir in the red chilli powder, dry mango powder, coriander powder and cumin powder and jaggery. Continue to stir until the jaggery melts and gets well combined into the vegetable.
Turn the heat to low and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. You will notice that the mixture releases a nutty aroma and looks shiny with the melted jaggery. Turn off the heat at this stage and stir in the crushed peanuts and coriander leaves. Serve hot.
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