Let’s have something bitter in taste but still delicious & good for health. Bitter gourd or bitter melon is a popular vegetable around the world. Though it is bitter in taste but in India, many people enjoy different types of bitter gourd fry in different region of this country. Mostly kids do not like bitter gourds but still I do not know why I like bitter gourd fry (karela fry/pavakkai fry/kakakrakaya/karola fry) a lot since my childhood. Here is a list of my favorite bitter gourd fry recipes what may surprise you.
Bitter gourd has many nutritional values & medicinal values. It contains Vitamin A equiv. beta-Carotene lutein zeaxanthin, Thiamine (B1), Riboflavin (B2), Niacin (B3), Pantothenic acid (B5), Vitamin B6, Folate (B9), Vitamin CC, Vitamin E, Vitamin K and a significant amount of various minerals (Calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, zinc).
Traditionally many people eat this vegetable to cure blood disorder or control blood sugar. It is also said that it may cure digestion problem as well as eye problem. But I am not sure about all of its medicinal values. But still I have heard so many times that diabetic patients suggested each other to eat this vegetable or drink its juice regularly because it helped them to control blood sugar. Did you also hear it?
Grow bitter gourd plant at home
Nowadays organic food becomes very popular and people are looking for organic vegetable because it is good for health. But it is either very difficult to find organic vegetable in the local market or it is very expensive.
So the best way to get plenty of fresh organic vegetable is grow organically your own vegetables and fruits.
Do you want to have fresh organic bitter gourd? Then grow your own bitter gourd plant at your backyard or in a container. This plant is very easy to grow. But it need atleast 5-6 years sunlight to grow healthy and produce plenty of vegetables. Did you ever try to grow this plant?
I grew bitter gourd plants a few years back. But I had only 3-4 plants what is not enough for my family. But still it was a joyful activity to observe your vegetables hanging from the plant.
4 Bitter Gourd Fry Recipes
Spicy karela fry recipe (North Indian style Bitter gourd fry)
This is a masaledar (spicy) North Indian style bitter gourd fry. Here many spices are added to make it enjoyable with roti. I have first time tasted this type spicy karela fry in Badli, Delhi at one of my colleague’s house. It was very delicious and Before that I never thought that bitter gourd can be enjoyable with roti.
- 4 bitter gourds, cut into small pieces
- 2 medium size onions, cut into small pieces
- 2 teaspoons Bengal gram flour/besan
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1.5 teaspoons red chilli powder
- 1.5 teaspoons turmeric powder
- 2 teaspoons dry mango powder/aamchur
- 2 green chillies
- 1.5 teaspoon chaat masala
- ½ tablespoon vegetable oil
- Cut bitter gourd into small pieces, keep it in a bowl and then add Bengal gram flour (besan), spices (cumin powder, coriander powder, red chilli powder, dry mango powder & turmeric powder), salt and mix all
- Heat heat oil in a cooking pan, add green chillies & finely chopped onion and fry till it becomes light brown
- Then add spicy bitter gourd pieces and cook for another 5-7 minutes till bitter gourd pieces become dark green or light brown
- Then sprinkle some chaat masala and switch off the flame and serve
Pavakkai fry recipe (Yummy Tamil style bitter gourd/bitter melon fry)
I like this type of bitter melon fry. It is crispy and delicious snack. Though it will be little bitter in taste but still super enjoyable. It is called as pavakkai fry in Tamil.
- 4 fresh bitter gourd, cur into thin slices
- ½ tablespoon rice flour
- 1.5 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1.5 teaspoon red chilli powder
- 2 teaspoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- ½ teaspoons coriander powder
- Salt as needed
- 2 teaspoon water (or as needed)
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- Take everything in big bowl and skrinkle some water and mix all
- Heat oil in a cooking pan and add those bitter gourd mixed with all spices and rice flour
- Fry till it becomes crispy
Kakarakaya fry recipe (Special Andhra style bitter gourd fry)
I like this type of kakarakaya fry with plain rice. It can be served with roti also. Though I have not tried this type of Andhra style kakarakaya fry in Andhra Pradesh. I hope when it will be cooked by a Andhra people in traditional way with years long expertise at home then it will be more delicious.
- 4 fresh bitter gourd, cut into slices
- 5-6 garlic cloves, cut into thins slices
- 1.5 teaspoons whole cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 5-6 curry leaves
- 2 green chillies
- Pinches of hing
- 1.5 teaspoons coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
- 1 tablespoon tamarind extracts
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoons sugar or (equivalent amount jaggery)
- Salt as needed
- ⅔ tablespoon vegetable oil
- Heat oil in a cooking pan and add whole cumin, mustard seeds, finely chopped garlic, curry leaves, green chillies and hing
- Now add bitter gourd slices and stir with all spices
- Then add salt, coriander powder, red chilli powder & turmeric powder and cook till it becomes dark green
- Now add tamarind extract (take 1 tablespoon warm water and add 1 teaspoon seedless tamarind pulp for 10 mins) and cook another one minutes
- Spread sugar/jaggery and switch off fire
Aloo karola fry (Bengali style Bitter gourd/bitter melon fry)
This is popular summer special Bengali style karola fry. It is a side dish as well as main course item too. I love this simple aloo (potato) karola (bitter gourd) fry with plain rice. We, Bengali people love to eat this simple aloo karola fry & plain rice along with kasundi (Bengali style special mustard sauce).
- 1 medium size potato, cut into thin long pieces
- 2 bitter gourd, cut into small pieces
- 3 green chillies
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon red chilli powder
- Salt as needed
- ½ tablespoon vegetable oil
- Cut bitter gourd and spread pinches of salt and keep aside for 10 minutes, then wash it with water and drain water
- Heat oil in a cooking pan and add green chillies & potatoes and saute for 2 minutes then add bitter gourd pieces too
- Sprinkle some salt, turmeric powder & red chilli powder over potato & bitter gourd pieces and cook another 1 or 2 minutes
- Serve this aloo karola fry with plain rice & kasundi
Bonus …….
Tasty & crispy bitter melon (gourd) pakoda: I have mentioned this at last but it is my favorite karela fry. I love this pakoda with tea or coffee or puffed rice (murmure).
| English | Bitter Gourd |
|---|---|
| Hindi/Gujarati/Punjabi/Kashmiri | Karela |
| Bengali | Karola/Uchche |
| Malayalam | Pavakka/Kaippakka |
| Telugu | Kakakra Kayi |
| Tamil | Pavakkai |
| Kannada | Haggala Kai/Hagara Kai |
| Konkoni | Kaarathey / Karathen |
| Marathi | Karle |
| Odisha | Karala |
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