Bharma Karela [Bitter Gourd / Melon]

Bitter Gourd, as the name suggests is Bitter in taste. Even watching my dad, who is a diabetic, eat 2 boiled bitter gourds everyday with ease, did not encourage me to try out the bitter gourd. Fried bitter gourd was a part of my meal, every other day, which I ingested as a medicine. But, in North India, they make "Bharwa Karela", and this preparation is one of my favorites. I learned making this, after I got married. Of course, Shekhar likes bitter gourd, any which way!

Ingredients
1. Bitter Gourd [4 medium sized]
2. Onion [1 large]
3. Green Chillies [8 -10]
4. Turmeric Powder [1/2 tsp]
5. Red Chilly Powder [1/2 tsp]
6. Coriander Powder [1 tsp]
7. Amchoor Powder (Dry Mango Powder) [1 tsp]
8. Garam Masala Powder [1/2 tsp]
9. Cumin [1 tsp]
10. Mustard Seeds [1 tsp]
11. Salt to taste
12. Oil

Preparation [at least 4-6 hours before, overnight is best]
1. Scrap the outer skin of the bitter gourds, make one vertical slit in each of them, scoop out the seeds and rub salt all over and inside the bitter gourd
2. Preserve the scrapped skin and the seeds aside
This preparation will remove the bitterness from the gourds.

Method - Stuffing
1. In a wok, heat the oil
2. Add cumin and mustard seeds and fry till they start to splutter
3. Add the chopped onions and green chillies and fry till golden yellow
4. Add the spices from 4 to 8 and mix well. Add salt
5. Sauté for another 3 -4 minutes and turn off the heat

Method - Frying the Karelas (Gourd)
1. Stuff the Gourds with the filling. Preserve the left over stuffing aside
2. Tie each gourd with a thread as shown in the picture below
3. Deep fry the tied-up gourds
4. Fry the scrapped skins and seeds in the hot oil. Take them off the oil, when the scrapped skins are crisp
Serve the gourds on a bed of left over fillings and the crispy fried gourd skins. Eat hot with roti.