Stuffed Karela

Most people don't like bitter melon or bitter gourd for obvious reasons but , and I have already said this before, if you know how to cook it, it will be the most delicious dish you would ever eat. There are different ways to cook this vegetable and different house holds have various ways to removing the bitternewss of the vegetable. So here is my way of cooking it and it is one of the most delectable dishes I make

Bhara Karela (Bitter gourd stuffed with onion and peanuts)

Bharwan Karela

Ingredients:

1. 4 karela or bitter gourd scraped and cut into 1-11/2 inch pieces
2. small lime sized tamarind soaked in 1/4 cup water
3. 1/4teaspoon turmeric
4. 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
5. Oil for shallow frying (about 2 tablespoons)

Ingredients for the stuffing:

1. 1 medium red onion peeled and chopped
2. 1 inch fresh ginger
3. 2 tablespoons Peanut Powder divided
4. 1/2 teaspoon each of salt, turmeric, chilly powder, cumin powder, coriander powder

Pressure cook the karela pieces along with tamarind water and turmeric for one whistle. Open the cooker and let the pieces cool a bit
In a microwave safe bowl, microwave on hight the onion along with ginger and salt and turmeric for 2 minutes. Grind to a paste.
Mix the onion paste with the remaining ingredients for the stuffing
Fill the karela pieces with the stuffing and lay it in a single layer in a heated pan with 1 tablespoon oil. Cover and fry on medium high for 5 minutes. Carefully turn the pieces and sprinkle any remaining stuffing and some sesame seeds.FRy for 5 more minutes. Repeat for 4-5 more times. Add oil if needed. Serve at room temperature with rice and Ambada Dal