My husband says, “Most healthy things are exhaustive, expensive or bitter in taste”…LOL!! Well, this is true at least in case of Bitter guard (Karela). Bitter guard has numerous health benefits and helps with Diabetes, Cancer, blood purification, detoxification, digestion, weight-loss etc. Despite its proven benefits, most people don’t fall in love with this great vegetable because of its bitter taste. Specially, moms find it hard to convince kids (and sometimes their dads too…wink) to eat this vegetable with medicinal characteristics. This very challenge was the motivation for creation of this recipe which tries to make this (usually) bitter tasting vegetable a mix of sweet and sour in flavor with crispy texture. Trust me, most people turn ‘Karela lovers’ after eating this. So here is the recipe for you to try it yourself:

• 5-6 medium sized Bitter Gourds (Karela)
• 4- table spoon cooking oil
• cup Groundnuts (coarsely grinded)
• Salt (as per taste)
• 1-1/2-table spoon Sugar
• 1-tea spoon Turmeric powder
• 2-tea spoon Red Chilli powder
• 4- tea spoon Coriander powder
• 1-1/2- table spoon Dry raw mango powder (Aamchur)

Method:

• Rinse and dry bittergourds.
• Peel the ragged skin of the bitter gourds and keep it aside.
• Cut the bittergourds in halves, remove the seeds and slice them in small pieces.
• Take oil in a pan and heat.
• Add the jagged part of the bittergourds in hot oil, shallow fry them (will help to reduce the bitterness).
• Add turmeric powder, salt and coarsely grinded groundnuts and stir the mixture till golden brown.
• Add coriander powder, red chilli powder and mix.
• Add the slices of bittergourds and mix well, cover the pan and keep on low heat for 10-15 mins.
• Add sugar and dry raw mango powder, mix and cover the pan for further 5 mins.
• Transfer in a serving bowl and garnish with fresh coriander (optional).
• Serve hot with chappati or paratha (any bread) as side dish.