Karela Shak/Curry (Bitter Gourd)- stuffed with Gram flour, Poha, Jaggery and flavoured with aromatic spices!
INGREDIENTS:
6-7 Karela/Bitter Gourd
3/4 cup Gram flour
1/2 cup Poha (soak in water for 5 mins and drain)
3/4 cup Jaggery cut in small pieces
1 cup fresh tomatoes chopped
1/2 cup strained tomatoes
coriander chopped finely
garlic and green chili chopped add as per your taste
1-2 tsp salt for stuffing and extra salt for boiling the kerala in water
2 tsp chili powder
3 tsp coriander powder
2 tsp amchur
3 tsp mustard seeds
2-3 tbsp oil for stuffing
2 tbsp oil for cooking
METHOD:
Peel and cut kerala into approx 2 inches long pieces. Boil water in a pan and add the kerala and 1-2 tsp salt and allow them to cook. Once cooked strain all the water out and leave on the side to cool.
Mix together for the stuffing: gram flour, soaked poha, jaggery, chopped coriander, salt, chili powder, coriander powder, amchur and oil. Mix until you get a paste type consistency adding extra oil if required.
Take each kerala piece and stuff with the mixture. Keep aside.
Place oil in a pan, once heated add the mustard seeds, garlic and green chili and sizzle for a couple of minutes, add chopped tomatoes and cook for further 6-8 minutes then add the strained tomatoes. Slowly add the stuffed karela and simmer on low heat for further 15 -20 minutes.
Serve hot with chapati, rice or quinoa.