Stuffed Karela (Bittergourd) - Gujarati Style....

Hey don't run away at the name of Karela!!! This is really really tasty!! And believe me you will be only too happy that you listened to my advice and decided to stick around :)
Even my toddler loves it!!! Calls it crispy karela and enjoys them!! Apparently i did the same when i was young (well, i still enjoy them :) and i still am young ok?!? maybe not as young as i used to be but still young ;)... i called them bharela Talela baandhela kaarela (Stuffed fried tied kaarela)!!!
My mom makes them by shallow frying...But recently i tried making them in my oven in grill mode!! And they tasted perfectly crispy!!! So now we use less oil but get same taste!!! Isn't it great?!?

Stuffed Karela....

Ingredient:

6 Karela (Bittergourd)
4 Tablespoon of Oil for shallow frying

For stuffing:
4 Tablespoon of besan (Bengal gram meal)
1/4 teaspoon red chili powder
4 teaspoon of dhania jeera powder (Corriander + Cumin Powder)
5 teaspoon of oil
Salt to taste
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1 pinch of hing (Asofoetida)
4 teaspoon sugar (Now don't think that she is asking to add sugar because she is Gujju....It really adds to the taste and helps in masking the bitter taste of karela)

Method:

1) Wash and peel the karelas.
2) Now make a vertical cut on a side and remove all the seeds. Rub salt in each karela and leave aside for an hour.

Seeds removed, salt rubbed and ready to stuffed..

 3) Now get your stuffing ready. For that in a mixing bowl, take Besan,salt, chili powder, turmeric, dhania jeera powder, Sugar, Hing and oil. Mix well.You should be able to see some binding. If you don't get binding then add 1/2 teaspoon oil. But please don't overdo oil...
4) Stuff this inside the karela generously..

Karela stuffed and ready to be cooked...

5) Now, if you are making them in a pan then, tie them using a thread. Don't use a colorful thread to tie the karela, please go for white thread (why?!? If you remember Bridget Jones cooking a dinner for her friends, you won't be asking this question, but in case you don't then let me tell you, the thread may pass on the color to your food...So now will you please pick up that white thread?!?)
If grilling in the Oven then skip this step...

Karelas shallow frying in a pan

6) After tying properly with the thread, shallow fry them in a pan. Skip this if going the grill way...
7) If grilling then please grease all the karela using little oil and Put them in a greased baking tray. Put it on a high rack in a preaheated oven. (Skip if you pan fried the karelas)

Going to be grilled - i kept them in a baking tin

8) Grill for 10 minutes and change the side. Then again grill for 7-8 minutes. (But please keep an eye on them, if you think that some of them are done then take them out leaving the undone karela inside to be grilled further.)

Grilled Stuffed Karela....

Once Out, cut the thread (of course, we are not eating the thread :) ) and cut the karelas in bite size pieces and enjoy the crispy karelas with hot fulkas and Gujarati daal!!!

Sending the pic in step 2 (Of Karela in my hand) to Priya's Colour me green event...Hey Priya, i have one more thing in mind, if i do that will send that too your event otherwise i at least have one entry now :)

Notes:
1) You can also make these karelas in a non-stick pan with less oil. I don't do that coz i am not a big fan of non-stick cookware. But if you don't mind using it and want to reduce the amount of oil then go for it.

+techie ZM