Bitter gourd or Karela was enough to make my face look disgusted back then. Whenever my mom used to tell me “Aaj karele bane hain,” I would refuse to eat lunch at home and go to my aunt’s house instead. Even after living alone in a different city, whenever I made karela, I made sure it was crispy like chips. A few years back, I discovered this crispy karela recipe with a great twist, and now I cook this recipe very frequently. So let’s quickly see the ingredients and method to make this crispy karela.
Ingredients:
- 4 medium-sized Karela (bitter gourd)
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon amchoor powder (dried mango powder)
- 2 tablespoons cornflour
- 2 tablespoons besan (gram flour)
- Oil for deep frying
- Salt to taste
Method:
Cut the Karela (bitter gourd) lengthwise from the middle and remove the seeds using a knife or spoon. The Karela should be hollowed out.
In a large bowl, add water and salt. Place the Karela in the saltwater solution and let it soak for about 30 minutes. This helps reduce the bitterness of the Karela. After 30 minutes, remove the Karela from the water and pat them dry using a kitchen towel. Ensure the karela is completely dry.
In a plate spread the cut karela and combine turmeric powder, coriander powder, red chili powder, amchoor powder, cornflour, besan, and salt to make a dry spice mixture.
Take each Karela and generously mix them with the dry spice. Ensure the mixture is evenly distributed in all the Karela.
Heat oil in frying pan and carefully place the Karela into the oil one by one. Fry the Karela until they turn golden brown and crispy from both sides. This will take approximately 8-10 minutes. Flip the Karela occasionally to ensure even frying. Once the Karela is cooked and crispy, remove them from frying pan.
Serve the Kurkure Karele hot as a side dish with dal chawal or snack. They can be enjoyed with mint/ Coriander chutney or ketchup.
Note: Kurkure Karele are best enjoyed immediately after frying, as they tend to lose their crispiness with time. So, serve them fresh!
I hope you enjoyed reading this recipe. Do give this recipe a shot. If you try this recipe, do give us a shout out. Just click a picture and tag us on @masala.monk or use the hashtag #MasalaMonkRecipe and share on Instagram and Facebook. We would love to hear from you.
