Karela Nu Shaak Or Gujarati Bitter Gourd Stir Fry

Karela nu shaak or bitter gourd stir fry from Gujarati cuisine.
A no onion garlic delicious stir fry without any bitterness.
If you don’t like the bitterness at all then you can peel the skin of karela before using. This way you will get a finger licking taste without any bitterness. I don’t like to reduce the nutrients so I didn’t.

Considered the most despicable vegetable of all, the karela is high in nutrients and provides numerous health benefits.
Bitter gourd, or karela in Hindi, is relished for its benefits and despised for its bitter taste.
It is an excellent source of vitamins B1, B2, and B3, C, magnesium, folate, zinc, phosphorus, manganese, and has high dietary fibre. It is rich in iron, and contains twice the beta-carotene of broccoli, twice the calcium of spinach, and twice the potassium of a banana, according to Health.com
Source

Monday again and this week’s 201 #Foodiemonday bloghop theme is #JamvaChaloJi. This week Mayuri Patel who blog at Mayuris Jikoni suggested the theme. Do visit her space for some awesome bakes and delicious authentic and innovative recipes. We have to share any Gujarati recipe this week.

Earlier posted an easy Tamatari karela or bitter gourd with tomato.

Recipe is very easy to make. I have used peanut but its totally optional. If you don’t like peanut omit it. In Gujarati cuisine jaggery or sugar added to this stir fry. I have used jaggery powder instead of sugar and used only 1 teaspoon. If you like the sweetness, you can add more sugar or jaggery. If you are using jaggery, use grated or powderd jaggery. And if you don’t like the sweet taste skip jaggery or sugar.
Recipe source – Tarla Dalal

Recipe

Karela or bitter gourd – 2 large

Potato – 2 medium

Cashew nuts – 3 tablespoon

Peanut – 3 tablespoon, dry roasted and crushed, optional

Cilantro or coriander leaves – handful, chopped

Salt to taste

Powdered or grated jaggery – 1 – 2 teaspoon or to taste

Cumin seeds – 1/2 teaspoon

Hing or asafoetida – 1/4 teaspoon

Turmeric powder – 1/4 teaspoon

Cumin powder – 1 teaspoon

Coriander powder – 1 teaspoon

Red chilli powder – 1/2 teaspoon

Amchur or dry mango powder – 1 teaspoon

Oil – 3 tablespoon

Method

1. Cut off the tips from both ends of bitter gourd or karela. Cut lengthwise, make half. Now cut into thin slices. You can scrap or peel the karela if you don’t like the bitterness at all. Discard the hard seeds.

2. Rinse karela pieces and drain the water. Marinate with 1 teaspoon salt and keep aside for 15 – 30 minutes.

3. Press the karela with your palm and squeeze all the water well. Wash the karela 2 – 3 times again in running water. Squeeze well.

4. Peel and chop the potatoes in small cubes. Rinse and keep aside.

5. Cut the cashew nuts nuts into 4 pieces.

6. Heat oil in a pan.
Add cumin seeds, hing or asafoetida and turmeric powder.

7. When cumin starts to splutter add squeezed karela or bitter gourd in it.
Mix and cover the pan. Cook on low flame for 10 – 12 minutes. Stir in between.

8. Add cubed potatoes and salt. Mix well and cover again. Cook for 10 – 12 minutes again. Keep stirring.

9. When potatoes become tender and karela becomes crisp add broken cashew nuts, chopped cilantro or coriander leaves and dry roasted and crushed peanuts if using. Mix well and cook for 2 – 3 minutes.

10. Now add cumin powder, coriander powder, red chilli powder and amchur or dry mango powder.
Mix well and sate for 2 – 3 minutes.

11. Your karela nu shaak or Gujarati style bitter gourd with cashew nuts is ready. Garnish with cilantro or coriander leaves and serve with roti, paratha or steamed rice.

Notes
1. You can use sugar instead of jaggery.
2. If you don’t like peanut skip it.
3. In Gujarati cuisines jaggery or sugar must be added but if you don’t like the sweetness omit jaggery or sugar.

If you tried my recipe, you can share your food pictures with me in the social network sites by using hash tag, #batterupwithsujata
I would love to see your creations.

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