Hey there, how is everyone doing? I know I must make ammends about posting my pictures of stuffed karela in to facebook a few years ago and did not give my recipe and now here it is. I ask for everyone’s appology. I have to now publish this yummy recipe in my blog for all to enjoy. The veg version is only potato and the non veg is with keema (mince).
First preheat the oven to 350F or 180C. You will need to boil 10 potatoes with the jackets on. These are medium to large potatoes. Boil thesese potatoes whole in 1 gallon or 4 liters of water in a pot on high heat for 30 to 40 minutes. Please do not ask what color because this doesn’t matter. You will also need 1 lb or 1 kg of mince of turkey, lamb, goat, beef, chicken or veal. These are for the veg and non veg version of this dish.
With the karela you take them and cut them down with either your finger or the tip of the potato peeler you can scrape the inside to remove the seeds. The seeds are easy to pop out. Be careful not to poke a hole in the karela and the halves must be equal. After removing the seeds sprinkle with 3 handfuls of kosher salt and let sit for 15 minutes. This will remove the bitterness from the karela.
For the mince only, add 1 handful of rice flour for binding agent. The spuds meaning potato here in USA and it is a slang word doesn’t need it.
In mortar and pestle add 1 small piece of amchur, 1 pinch each of cumin seeds, coriander seeds, kalonji, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, black peppercorns, grind and then add to either mince or potato if you are using. Also 1 pinch each of hing, pink salt, ajwan, turmeric and red chili poweder are added also to either potato or mince mixture.
Chop very finely 1 onion or shallot or 4 green onions, 4 cloves of garlic and add to potato mixture. Add 1/4 cup of olive oil divided. Add to stuffing, wok or cast iron skillet for frying the karela halves and the roasting pan before placing the karela. I have a large one big enough to hold a turkey and a medium. Please do not stack these on top of the other. They must lie just like an open faced sandwich.
What I mean by that it is just one piece of bread instead of two so there is no top just only the bottom part. Now turn your attention to the karela that you have salted and had sit to remove bitterness. Wash the salt off of there thoughly and proceed to fill them with whatever filling you made. I made the potato one so I am going to do one with mince and place it on this page too so you know what it looks l6 ike inshallah.
In a wok or cast iron skillet add the olive oil and roast them until they are slightly brown in batches of 4 to 6 depending on how big your skillet or wok is. Now it is time to fill.
After filling these karelas lie them side to side after you put oil in the pan. When there is no more room at the bottom that is it because you are done with this already. With this done then you can add the oil left over from frying the karela halves and cook them in the oven for 15 minutes with the lid closed and another 15 with the lid open.
This is ready to be eaten with either naan chapati or paratha with yogurt and achar.


One thought on “Stuffed Karela Veg And Non Veg”