This is a simple and traditional gravy-based curry recipe made with karela and a special masala. The masala is made with peanuts, gram flour, and sesame seeds, which are stuffed into the karela to reduce its bitterness and develop all the flavors. It has a slightly sweet, sour, and medium-spicy taste, just like any Gujarati sabzi. This healthy, gravy-based side dish is not just limited to roti and chapati, but can also be served with rice variants. Do try this!
The key to making a tasty bharela karela nu shak at home is:
- Firstly, choose fresh, medium-thick, and green karela for the sabzi. Remove its thick skin and seeds and boil it in salted water to decrease its bitterness.
- Secondly, prepare a paste with peanuts, sesame, and gram flour, which gives a creamy and dhaba-style flavor to the sabzi. Also, prepare the masala a little spicy, sour, and sweet. You can adjust the amount of spices and jaggery according to your taste.
- Lastly, bharela karela nu shak tastes great the next day, as it absorbs the masala well.
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Bharela karela nu shak | stuffed karela recipe | bharwa karela recipe
Ingredients
For masala
- 1 tsp oil
- 3 tbsp gram flour
- 3 tbsp white sesame seeds
- 3 tbsp crushed peanuts
- 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 2 tbsp coriander powder
- 2 tbsp red chilli powder
- Salt to taste
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp jaggery
- Some coriander leaves
For bharela karela nu shak
- 300 grm or 4 medium size karela
- Prepared masala
- 5-6 tbsp oil
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 chopped green chlli
- 1 tsp chopped garlic cloves
- ยฝ cup chopped tomatoes
- Salt to taste
- ยฝ tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
- ยฝ cup hot water
- Some coriander leaves
Instructions
Prepared karela for sabzi:
- Take medium-sized karela and remove its tough skin. Cut it into medium-sized pieces and remove its seeds. Keep it aside.
- In a pan, boil 3 cups of water and add salt. Mix well and add the karela pieces. Boil for 3-5 minutes until they are 80% cooked. Do not overboil.
- Remove the water with a sieve and add cool water. Rub the karela slightly to remove its bitterness. Keep it aside.
Prepared masala for karela:
- In a pan, add 1 tsp oil. Add besan and roast on medium flame until it slightly changes color.
- Add fennel seeds and white sesame seeds and roast slightly.
- Remove from heat and cool down slightly.
- Add crushed peanuts, ginger-garlic paste, turmeric powder, coriander powder, red chilli powder, salt, cumin powder, garam masala, lemon juice, jaggery, and some coriander leaves. Mix well.
- Add 2 tbsp oil and mix well. The masala is ready. Stuff it into the karela. Keep it aside.
Prepared bharela karela nu shak:
- In a pan, add 5 tbsp oil. Add the stuffed karela and fry on medium flame until slightly crisp. Take out the fried karela onto a plate and keep it aside.
- In the same pan, add the remaining 4 tbsp oil. Add cumin seeds, chopped green chilli, and chopped ginger. Saute.
- Add chopped tomatoes and salt. Saute until the tomato becomes soft.
- Add ยฝ tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder and saute.
- Add the remaining masala and saute.
- Add the stuffed karela and mix well with the gravy.
- Add ยฝ cup hot water and mix well.
- Cover and cook the sabzi for 5-7 minutes on low flame, so the masala gets absorbed into the karela.
- When the oil separates from the sides of the gravy and the karela is cooked properly, the sabzi is ready.
- Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with roti or rice.
Notes
- Cut the karela into medium-sized pieces and remove its seeds.
- Roast the besan on medium-low flame until it slightly changes color.
- The proportion of besan, sesame seeds, and crushed peanut should be equal.
- Addition of oil into the masala gives binding to it.
- Fry the stuffed karela on medium flame.
- Add slightly hot water to the gravy so the masala flavor and color should be maintained.
- Karela sabzi tastes great when it is slightly spicy.
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