6 – 8 pieces of small to medium size karela
1 medium size onion finely chopped
1 medium size cooked and mashed aloo
1 tsp rai
1 tbsp Oil
1 tsp of ginger paste
1 tsp garlic paste
1 – 2 tsp red chili powder or per taste
1/2 tsp haldi powder
3 tsp of dhania powder
1 tsp Amchur
1 green chili finely chopped or per taste
Some chopped cilantro
1 tbsp lemon or lime juice
Salt to taste
Method:
Wash karela and scrape the skin just a little. Slit the karela with it’s in tact. Apply a good amount of salt and lemon or lime juice all over the karela and keep it aside for at least 2 – 3 hours. Carefully scoop out the inside of the karela and keep it aside. In a pan, heat oil and add rai let it splutter then add onion, ginger/garlic, green chili and sauté. Once the onions are almost cooked add the scrapings from the karela and sauté well. Add all the spices and mix well. Now add the mashed aloo, cilantro and mix. Let the mixture cool.
After a couple of hours squeezethe karela well, I mean really hard and you will see bitter juices will run out. Now fill in the stuffing into each karela. You need not add more salt as the karela has already absorbed enough salt. In a non-stick pan, add oil and place the karela’s. Cover it with a lid and let it cook. Turn the side of the karela such that it’s cooked and turned golden brown all around. Karela is ready to be relished with some hot roti or chappati.