INGREDIENTS
- 12 bitter grounds (karelas)
- Salt to taste
- 15 g ginger paste
- 15 g garlic paste
- 1 tsp (5 g) turmeric powder
- Butter for basting and greasing.
- For the filling:
- 150 g paneer, grated
- 60 g groundnuts
- 1 tbs (15 g) sesame seeds
- 15 g coconut
- 1 tsp (5 g) cummin seeds
- 2 (120 g) large onions
- 5 cm ginger, julienned
- 1 1/2 tsp (7 g) coriander powder
- 1 tsp (5 g) chilli powder
- Salt to taste
- 2 tbs (30 ml) tamarind pulp
- 15 g jaggery, crushed
- For the tempering:
- 3 tbs (45 ml) sesame oil
- 1/2 tsp (2 g) cummin seeds
- 1/2 tsp (2 g) mustard seeds
- 1/4 tsp (1 g) fenugreek seeds
- 24 curry leaves
- METHOD
- WASH and slit the bitter gourds on one side.
- Remove the seeds and rub with salt.
- Arrange on a tilting tray and keep aside for at least an hour. (Keep the bitter gourds overnight if you prefer them to be even less bitter).
- Put enough water in a pan.
- Add salt, ginger paste, garlic paste, and turmeric powder.
- Stir and bring to a boil.
- Add the bitter gourds and blanch them until soft.
- Drain and keep aside.
- To prepare the filling:
- Remove the brown skin and roughly chop the coconut.
- Dry roast the coconut, groundnuts, sesame seeds and cummin seeds in a frying pan until each emits its unique aroma.
- Hold the onions with tongs and roast them directly over the flame until the skin is charred.
- Cool, peel and roughly chop the onions.
- Grind all these ingredients, except paneer, with 1/4th cup water to fine paste.
- Add paneer, ginger, jaggery, corriander powder and chilli powder to the paste and mix well.
- To prepare the tempering:
- Heat oil in a frying pan and season with cummin seeds, mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds. Stir over medium heat until they begin to crackle.
- Add curry leaves and stir.
- Pour over the paste, mix well and divide into 12 equal portions.
- Put a portion of the filling into each of the blanched bitter gourds.
- Arrange them in a greased roasting tray with the slit side on top.
- Cover with foil. Punch a few holes in the foil and cook on dum in the pre-heated oven at 275oF for 30 minutes, basting at regular intervals.
- Remove and uncover.
- To serve: Remove to a serving dish and serve with rice and paratha.
