Karela Barela

Try the spring onion stuffed bitter guards. These onions add sweetness to the dish and hence help reduce the bitterness of the guards and also add flavour. Serve with roti/phulka.

Ingredients:

Baby bitter guards : 200g
Spring onions : 1 bundle
Oil : 5- 6 tbsp
Jeera : 1 tsp + 1/4 tsp
Green chillies : 2-3
Ginger garlic paste : 1 tsp
Salt : 1 tsp or according to your taste
Turmeric : pinch
sugar : 2-3 tsp (or more if you wish)
Garam masala : 1 tsp
Red chilli powder : 1 tsp
Gram flour : 2-3 tsp
Lemon : half


Method:

1. Take baby bitter guards, slit them and take out the inner stuff. Take some water in a vessel add little turmeric and salt and boil these guards till they are half cooked. Drain the water and allow them to cool.

2. Chop the spring onions(1 bundle). Take 3-4 tsp oil in a pan, add 1 tsp jeera, chopped green chillies, ginger garlic paste and add the spring onions. 

3. Add 1 tsp salt(or as per your taste), pinch of turmeric, 2-3 tsp sugar (or more if you cannot cherish the bitterness of the guards), garam masala, red chilli powder and saute it till the onions turn soft and they leave all the water and the water evaporates. 

4. Add gram flour and saute for 1-2 min. Squeeze half lemon and switch off the flame.

5. Stuff the bitter guards with the spring onion mixture. Take 4-5 tbsp oil in a pan, add 1/4 tsp jeera (optional) and then add the stuffed bitter guards. Over the bitter guards sprinkle little turmeric , little salt, 1/4 tsp red chilli powder and some sugar and fry them by flipping the guards occasionally till they get cooked on all sides.