Artificial Food Coloring Free Vegan Stuffed Karela
Bitter gourd has a devoted following for good reason ā when it's properly salted, stuffed, and pan-fried until the skin turns deeply wrinkled and caramelized, it becomes something genuinely crave-worthy. The filling here is a fragrant, jammy mixture of onion, tomato, ginger, garlic, and warm spices, thickened with chickpea flour until it's nutty and almost paste-like ā the kind of thing that perfumes your whole kitchen while it cooks. Every spice in this recipe is a whole or single-ingredient ground spice, so there's no reason to stress about synthetic dyes sneaking in through a spice blend or a packaged seasoning mix. The salting and rinsing step is worth every minute ā it draws out bitterness and leaves the karela tender enough to absorb all that bold, tangy filling. Amchur brings a bright, fruity sourness that plays beautifully against the heat of red chili powder, and a little sugar rounds everything out without tipping into sweetness. A squeeze of lemon and a handful of fresh cilantro at the end keep it lively and fresh. This is the kind of deeply satisfying plant-based dish that earns a permanent spot in your weeknight rotation.
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Learn more āIngredients
4 servings
For the karela
- 8 medium karela (bitter gourds), about 4ā5 inches long
- 1 Ā½ tsp salt, divided
- 3 tbsp neutral oil, divided
For the filling
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1 medium tomato, finely chopped
- 1 tsp ginger, freshly grated
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- Ā½ tsp ground cumin
- Ā½ tsp turmeric
- Ā½ tsp red chili powder
- Ā½ tsp amchur (dried mango powder)
- 2 tbsp chickpea flour (besan)
- 1 tsp sugar
For serving
- 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, finely chopped (optional)
- lemon wedges, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Trim both ends of each karela and use a sharp knife to make a deep lengthwise slit down one side, stopping about 1/2 inch from each end ā do not cut all the way through. Use a small spoon to scrape out and discard the seeds and white pith from inside each gourd.
- 2
Rub 1 tsp of the salt all over the outside and inside of the karela. Place them in a colander set over a bowl and let them sit for 30 minutes. Rinse thoroughly under cold running water, then squeeze gently and pat dry with paper towels.
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