Karela, or bitter melon, is one of the most feared vegetables for anyone who has ever encountered it. When I was little and other kids used to complain about how much they hated brussels sprouts or broccoli, I wanted to shut them all up with a plate of karela. My mom, however, insisted that it was an acquired taste.
...And 15 years later, I hate to say it, but she was right. I've come to grow quite fond of this little prickly gourd. If cooked well and paired with the right ingredients, it's actually quite good...and good for you.
This
is a recipe for grilled karelas stuffed with a sweet and spicy shallot
filling. If nothing else, this is a recipe worth trying once. They are
bound to be a palate (and colon) cleanser.
(If
you think this picture is a little dramatic, well I figured the Karelas
have had a hard knock life and deserve to be in the spotlight for
once.)
For Recipe (Click Read More)
What you need:
- Indian Karela - 3-4 small ones
- Brown sugar - 3 tbsp tbsp (and some extra to coat the inside of the karela)
- Dried red chillies - 1+ (depending on how spicy you want it, I usually use 2-3)
- Sea salt - 1 tsp
- Shallot - 1 large one
- Ginger - 1/2 inch piece, fresh
- Garlic - 1/2 clove
- Chick pea powder - 1/4 cup
- Dried coconut - 3 tbsp, grated
What you do:
- Heat up a grill or oven to 350°F.
- Wash the karela and use a knife/peeler to lightly peel the skin (makes it a little less bitter).
- Blanch the karelas in boiling water for 2-3 minutes.
- Grind the chillies, chick pea powder, dried coconut and brown sugar to a fine powder.
- Add the shallot, ginger, garlic and salt and pulse a couple of times. Set this aside in a cup/bowl.
- Cut the karelas lengthwise and take out the seeds with a spoon.
- Coat the inside of the blanched karelas with a little bit of brown sugar and stuff with the shallot mixture.
- You can wrap these in foil and bake them or grill them on medium heat for 8-10 minutes.
Done! Enjoy and share this recipe next time someone hates on this bitter beauty.
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