Karela Gosht (Bitter gourd & meat): Complete Recipe In English
Introduction:
This recipe is about Bitter gourd & meat. Karela in Urdu and bitter gourd in common English is also known as, bitter melon, bitter apple, etc. The common theme in most of these names is the word ‘bitter’. The vegetable even though having a bitter taste is surely an acquired taste. People who like them do love them. Karela is widely consumed in Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean.
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What we need:
Beef/mutton with bones: 1 pound (fatty meat is better but not required)
Karela aka bitter gourd: 1 pound
Onion: 2 big roughly ¾ pound (sliced)
Tomatoes: 4 – 5 average sized roughly ¾ pound(chopped)
Red chilli powder: 1 tablespoon
Turmeric powder: ½ tablespoon
Ginger paste: 1 tablespoon
Garlic paste: 1 tablespoon
Fresh green pepper: 2 – 3 (medium heat and size)
Salt:1 – 2 teaspoons or (to taste)
Water: 2 – 3 cups (or as needed)
Cooking oil: 2 cups for cooking and frying
How it would be done:
1. Lengthwise cut the karela in half and take the seeds out. Slice them into ½ inch cubes or you can also do half circles (crescent).
2. Heat the oil on a medium flame. We are about to fry them on medium flame till they turn light brown and you can feel the crispness. It will take roughly 8 -10 minutes.
3. and set it on a plate with a paper towel. I use the same oil for further cooking.
4. Add onions in oil fry until the color changes from white to slightly pink. Take half of them out of the pan. On medium heat fry the rest until they turn light brown. At this point add ginger and garlic paste to the pan. As you start smelling the aroma of fried ginger garlic in your kitchen. Add red chili powder, turmeric powder, salt, and tomatoes. Don’t use all the tomatoes at this stage, as half will be used later.
5. Once the tomatoes start turning into a sauce add beef and stir till it changes color. Add water and cover the lid or you can use a pressure cooker if you are in a hurry. A pressure cooker would take around 15/20 minutes and a regular pan with a lid might take around 50 minutes for the beef to be tender. DON’T use too much water as we don’t need a runny curry or a stew consistency.
6. Once the meat is tender add the fried karela and stir it well. Keep the heat at medium if it is on the drier side. In case of being too runny reduce the water by cooking on higher heat.
7. Add fried onions and tomatoes which you set aside earlier along with 2 – 3 coarsely chopped green chilies. Cover it for 10 minutes on low flame.
TADA! Time to dish out.
Serving suggestion:
How Karela Gosht Would Be Served
This will go well with nan /roti / pita but in case you are at a place where flat loaves of bread are not available then it could be enjoyed with plain boiled rice.
Note: After cutting the karela you can Sprinkle some salt and let it sit for 5 minutes to release the juices that would reduce the natural bitterness of the vegetables. If you are anything like me and love bitterness then without wasting a single minute, start frying.
You can also enjoy my other recipes on my YouTube channel and my blogs
