Stuffed Bitter gourd Recipe | Stuffed Hagalakayi | Bharwa Karela

Stuffed Bitter gourd recipe | How to do stuffed Bitter gourd with step by step photos | Bharwa karela | How to do bharwa karela | Stuffed Hagalakayi recipe

Bharwa karela is bitter gourd stuffed with a spicy nutty flavorful masala mix. It is easy to make, tastes the so good .. a great side dish to any Indian meal. Gluten free , vegan & vegetarian

If you are in the look out for more Bitter gourd recipes you can check Airfried Bittergourd Chips , Bitter gourd palya , Bitter gourd Gojju , Bitter gourd Pachadi , bitter gourd chutney etc

Check out the video recipe here :

About Stuffed Bitter Gourd Recipe :

Bitter gourd is probably one of the most hated veggies because of its bitterness. But bitter gourd is one among the healthiest vegetable. From health benefits perspective bitter is also better. But I think cooking with bitter gourd is an art and when cooked right with right ingredients it really tastes good . In my home, we all love bitter gourd and this stuffed bitter gourd is one of our favorites .

There are various ways we can make stuffed bitter gourd and the stuffing varies from region to region . Today’s version of the stuffing has a nice from onion , nuttiness from peanuts and tempting flavors from the basic Indian spices added. I prefer to use the Baby tender bitter gourds whenever have to make this stuffed version, as they are so apt for this dish. It’s tastes so good and gets cooked faster than the usual big ones .

Tastes so good with dal rice , curd rice , roti etc

Stuffed Bitter gourd recipe with step by step photos

• Take tiny variety bitter gourds

• Deskin the bitter gourd using a peeler. Don’t throw peel.

Slit the veggies at centre and scoop out the flesh and seeds using a spoon. Prepare all the Bitter gourd similarly.

• Apply salt and turmeric nicely to the gourd, sprinkle salt to peel and mix . Keep aside for 30 mins.

After 30 mins , Wash karela with water to remove bitterness. Squeeze out the peels.

• To prepare Stuffing :
• In a kadai or pan , heat 2-3 tbsp oil. Add 2 medium sized , very finely chopped Onion

• Add the bitter gourd peel and tsp ginger garlic paste. Saute 2-3 mins on medium flame .

• Once raw smell form onion has gone , add all the masala ingredients 1 by 1 i.e 1/2 tsp Haldi powder, 1.5 tsp red chilli powder,2 tsp aamchoor powder, 1-2 tsp Jaggery, Salt to taste, pinch of hing, 1.5 tsp Dhania powder, 1/2 tsp Jeera powder . Combine everythung and saute the masala for 1-2 mins.

• If the mixture looks too dry , splash few tsp water , mix and mash a bit .Let the consistency of the masala be a bit mushy .

• Meanwhile , slightly crush 3-4 tbsp roasted peanuts ( don’t make powder.. there should be few pieces here and there ) and 2-3 tbsp grated dry coconut ( optional ) . Mix.

• That’s it , our spicy nutty filling is ready. Allow it to cool a bit.

• Once the masala has cooled a bit , Stuff the filling nicely into the bitter gourd. You can use spoon or hands to stuff.

• Prepare each bitter gourd by stuffing them nicely with masala and keep them ready.

• Heat 2-3 tbsp Oil in a pan and place the stuffed bitter gourd on the pan. Cover and cook for 3-4 mins on low flame. If required , drizzle a splash of water . When , one side is nicely cooked , flip and cook other side for 3-4 mins on low medium flame. Nicely cook both the sides .

• The gourds would have nicely roasted if cooked in low medium flame. If you have any left over stuffing masala , you can add that too towards the end, splash few drops water and give a mix.

• That’s it , stuffed bitter gourd is ready to serve !!

Points to note

• Tender tiny bitter gourds suits best for making this bharwa karela. If you can’t get them , you can use regular ones , just cut them into 2 pieces and then use it for stuffing .
• Add 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder to bitter gourd and mix well. Keep it aside for 30 to 40 mins. Bitter Gourd would have left some water. Discard it. Again sprinkle little water , mix and squeeze the bitter gourd slices with your hand. This helps to reduce the bitterness of bitter gourd. This step is optional . If you are ok with the bitterness , you can skip it
• If you want to reduce the cooking time , after stuffing the bitter gourds with the filling , you can steam cook them for 5 minutes and lastly roast them in a pan for 2-3 minutes for that roasted taste and finish.