Karele ki Sabzi

Name: Karele ki Sabzi
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 22 min
Total time: 42 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: north_indian
Ingredients: 500 g bitter gourd (washed, ends trimmed, halved lengthwise, seeds removed if hard, thinly sliced); 2 pcs onion (medium, thinly sliced); 2 pcs green chili (slit); 2 tbsp mustard oil; 1 tsp cumin seeds; 1 tsp fennel seeds (lightly crushed); 1 pinch turmeric powder; 1 pinch red chili powder; 1 tsp coriander powder; 1 pinch dry mango powder; 0.5 tsp salt

RATING

4.3/5(61)

TASTE SCORE

4/10

Thinly sliced bitter gourd cooked with onions, spices, and a little tang for balance. This homestyle North Indian sabzi turns karela mellow, flavorful, and perfect with roti or dal-rice.

PREP

20m

COOK

22m

SERVES

1 KATORI

112 cal

SERVINGS

METHOD · 7 STEPS

prep · ~10 min
Prepare the karela.
1.Wash the bitter gourd well and trim both ends.
2.Halve each one lengthwise and remove only the hard seeds and pith if mature.
3.Slice the karela thinly so it cooks evenly and turns lightly crisp at the edges.
saute · ~2 min
Heat the oil and crackle the spices.
1.Heat mustard oil in a wide pan over medium heat until it just begins to smoke lightly.
2.Lower the heat and add cumin seeds.
3.Add fennel seeds and let them sizzle for a few seconds until fragrant.
TIPLetting mustard oil heat properly removes its raw sharpness.
saute · ~6 min
Cook the onions and chilies.
1.Add sliced onion and green chili to the pan.
2.Cook, stirring often, until the onion softens and turns light golden.
3.Keep the heat at medium so the onion sweetens without burning.
saute · ~3 min
Add the karela and dry spices.
1.Add the sliced bitter gourd and mix well with the onions.
2.Sprinkle in turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, and salt.
3.Stir well so the karela is evenly coated with oil and spices.
saute · ~15 min
Cook the sabzi until tender.
Cover the pan and cook on low heat, stirring every few minutes, until the karela softens and the onions turn deeper golden. Uncover for the last few minutes so any extra moisture dries out and the sabzi becomes semi-dry.
TIPA wide pan helps the karela brown instead of steam.
garnish · ~1 min
Finish with dry mango powder.
Sprinkle dry mango powder over the cooked sabzi and toss well for 1 minute. The light tang balances the natural bitterness without hiding the karela flavor.
serve
Serve hot or warm.

PRO TIPS

What to keep in mind.

8 tips from the recipe — small details that make a real difference to the final dish.

1
Slice the karela very thin so the edges lightly crisp before the inside turns mushy.
2
Remove only mature hard seeds; tender pale seeds can stay and add texture.
3
Heat mustard oil until it just smokes, then reduce the heat before adding cumin and fennel.
4
Use a wide pan and avoid overcrowding so the karela browns instead of steaming.
5
Stir every few minutes on low heat; constant stirring can break the slices and stop browning.
6
Add amchur only at the end, or its tang can dull during cooking and taste flat.
7
This sabzi tastes even better after a short rest, when the bitterness, onion sweetness, and spices settle.
8
Reheat uncovered in a pan, not the microwave, to bring back the semi-dry texture.