Sautéed Bitter Gourd In Tomato Curry

Bitter gourd / Karela (Momordica charantia) a popular Asian Countries Vegetable. Bitter gourd have many health benefits, it not only good for diabetes, but it also helps to cleanse the liver and regenerate the liver cell. It helps to detox the blood of toxins, make skin clearer, it contains a chemical that acts like insulin to help reduce blood sugar levels. 

Bitter Gourd must be added in our weekly diet, but many of us avoid this vegetable because of its bitter taste.

Their are many options available which can be used to control bitter taste of this vegetable like salt is added to finely peeled bitter gourd and then it is squeezed, removing its bitter juice to some extent, or cook bitter gourd in coconut milk, or butter milk or with coarsely grind peanuts. Another interesting option is cooking bitter gourd in Tamarind paste or cooking in tomato puree.

Also refer

Stuffed Bitter Gourd (Bhara Hua Karela)

My this recipe of bitter gourd is very simple and quick, i am preparing this in fresh tomato puree. I will going to peel the skin and then blanch the bitter gourd and sauté and then cook it in tomato puree.

Required

✒250 gms Bitter Gourd

✒2 medium size Tomatoes

✒2-3 Green Cardamom (powdered)

◾Dry Ingredients

✒Turmeric Powder - 2tsp

✒Red chilly Powder - 1tsp 
✒ Sugar - 1tsp

✒Salt to taste

◾Refined oil 

✒For cooking 1tsp

✒For Sauteing 30 ml

Action

Step 1: Cutting

Wash, peel and cut the bitter gourds into halves.

Step 2: Make Tomato Puree

Puree the tomatoes in a food processor if using whole tomatoes.
I prefer making fresh puree of tomatoes.

Step 3 Blanching

First squeeze and Wash bitter gourd in running water, and then blanch.

(This process will take 3-4 min on high flame)

To blanch bitter gourd means

Blanching is a cooking process wherein the bitter gourd is plunged into boiling water, removed after a brief, timed interval, and finally placed under cold running water to halt the cooking process, and maintain natural color of vegetable

Step 4 Sauté

Heat oil in a sauce pan and sauté the bitter gourd pieces till they start to brown a bit, but still soft. Remove and keep aside.

Step 5 Final cooking process

Heat oil in a sauce pan on high flame , in that add cardamom powder, sauté for 10 seconds, and then add tomato puree. 

Cook it on high flame for 3-4 minutes, bring this to a boil, cook till puree reduced a bit, then add dry ingredients, that is red chilly powder, turmeric powder, sugar and salt to taste mix well. The purpose of adding 1tsp sugar is that it helps to reduce not only bitter taste of bitter gourd but also sour taste (khatta's) of tomatoes, infact, I add sugar in most of my tomato curry recipe's.

Now in this add the sauteed bitter gourd pieces and cook for one minute and then add one cup water and mix well. Bring this to a boil. Adjust the liquid if necessary by adding more water. Close the lid and simmer for about 5-7 minutes. Check the gravy consistency, it should not be very thick and not very liquid form, adjust as per your taste. 

Check and add more salt if needed. Serve hot with chapati.