Wednesday 13 May 2015

Besan wala Karela ( chickpea flour stuffed bitter gourd)

Bitter gourd is my family's favourite and can be cooked in many different ways; packed with nutrients and health, this one is very versatile. Today I'am sharing a Rajasthani style of cooking bitter gourd stuffed with 'besan' (chickpea flour).

I've earlier shared full Rajasthani Thali , Besan wali shimla mirch, Ker sangri kumathiyaDal Baati. Here's another from my Rajasthani kitchen:


Ingredients:
  • 7-10 medium sized bitter gourd
  • 1 cup chickpea flour 
  • Salt to taste
  • 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1/2 tsp coriander powder
  • 1 tsp dry mango powder
  • A pinch of asafoetida
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 5-6 tbsp oil
Preparation time: 30-40 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Kitchen Equipments Required: 2 medium sized cooking pans, mixing spoons, a peeler and a knife.

Directions:
  • Peel the gourds and wash them under running water, rub salt over them and keep aside for at least 30 minutes.
  • Discard the juices and wash once again and squeeze all the water from the gourd to remove bitterness from the gourds. 
  • Wipe with a kitchen towel and make a cut vertically in each gourd keeping the ends intact, discard the seeds and keep aside.

Stuffing:
  • Dry roast chickpea flour in a heavy bottomed pan, when it changes colour slightly switch off the flame, add all the dry spices to the roasted flour.
  • Stuff all the gourds with roasted chickpea flour mixture using a spoon and tighten the gourds with a thread ( keep the leftover flour for later use)
  • In an another pan heat oil, add cumin seeds and let them splutter.
  • Drop the stuffed gourds into the pan and cook for 15- 20  minutes on medium flame till the gourds are almost cooked.
  • Next add the leftover flour into the pan, sprinkle some water and cook again for 5-7 minutes on medium flame.
  • Remove the thread before serving.
  • Serve hot with Phulkas or Parathas.


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