Oven Crisped Bitter Sweet Goodness (not so bitter gourd )
As a child, I remember my mom, grandmom, and all my aunts making “Karela” — the bitter gourd as we know it in different ways — cutting and frying/Stuffed with sweet & sour onion paste wrapped with a thread. I never took a fascination for bitter gourd as a kid, I used to always make a face when I saw the thing on the dining table. However, as tastes change in life- I took the courage and acquired the taste for bitter gourd. However rarely I would end up adding the gourd in my shopping basket. Though thanks to Covid — I ordered a basket of veggies where I had no option to chose, and was delivered a set of veggies. SO there sat 500 gms of Bitter gourd in my pantry! It was warm and humid Sunday evening and in order to escape kitchen stove heat — I opted for a recipe of baked thin crisps of this gourd. I tried and it turned out to be super easy peasy and is now one of my favs.
Ingredients :
Bitter Gourd — 500 Gms
Spices –
Amchur / Dry Mango Powder — 1 tablespoon
Coriander /Dhania powder — 1 tablespoon
Cumin/Zeera Powder — 1 tablespoon
Jaggery — 1 Tablespoon
Turmeric/Haldi — 1 tsp
Red Chilli Powder — 1 tsp
Oil – 2 tablespoons
Salt
Method :
- Peel and thinly slice the Bitter gourd
2. Grease the baking tray with oil or put parchment paper
3. Drizzle the sliced gourd with oil and leave aside for 5 minutes
4. To this add all the spices along with jaggery mentioned above and nicely coat all the gourd slices with it . The spices along with jaggery will give it that sweet spicy zing and cut through the bitterness .
5. Put to bake in a preheated oven at 190–200 degree C for 25–30 minutes till they turn crisp . After 15 minutes just turn the sides of the gourd
As easy peasy as that ! Ready – and serve with hot chapatis / I love mine with plain white rice and dahi vada :)