Feel bitter for bitter gourd? Most Indian households slide karela into oblivion, mainly because of its bitter taste, which not many people like, especially kids. But, if you know the right way to make karela, you can turn its bitter and tarty flavour more appealing to your palate. The trick is to deep fry or stir-fry the karela before cooking to stave off its bitterness. While bharwan karela or pyaz karela or plain karela sabzi are commonly made in north India, which may often go untouched, you won’t be able to lay off your hands from this crispy south Indian style karela fry.

Also known as Kakarakaya fry or bitter gourd fry, this crunchy and crispy karela fry is the perfect side dish for a plate of roti sabzi and dal platter. Some people also smatter it on the top of their dal-rice bowl for a variety of flavours and some crunch. Karela is cut into tiny round pieces and stir-fried before cooking with spices, which makes it crispy and spicy, while its bitterness is long gone. A dash of lemon adds some tanginess to it, making it a yummy munching snack too.

(Also Read: 5 Yummy Ways To Include Karela In Your Diet)

^{Karela can taste great if cooked in the right way.} 

Karela Fry Recipe:

Ingredients:

4 bitter gourds

Salt to taste

Red chilli powder to taste

Half tsp turmeric powder (haldi)

1 tsp coriander powder

Half tsp cumin powder

Half tsp sugar

Juice of half lemon

Method:

Step 1 – Wash karela and slice it into thin round rings. Remove seeds from the rings carefully without cutting open the rings.

Step 3 – Heat oil (preferably, mustard oil) and deep fry or stir fry the karela rings till they turn crispy and brown in colour.

Step 4 – Add salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder, sugar, coriander powder and saute for a couple of minutes.

Step 5 – Turn off the gas and sprinkle lime juice over the karela sabzi and serve.

If you are going to have karela fry as a part of your Indian meal, you can also garnish it with some coriander leaves. If you want to try it as a healthy snack in place of store-bought chips, you can splay some chaat masala and pair it with tomato sauce. Whichever way you choose to consume this amazing karela dish, we are sure you and your family will love it.