Bitter Gourd Pickle- a tangy spicy pickle made with sliced bitter gourd, raw mango and spices.
Karela achar is made during summer when good quality karela is made easily. It is a seasonal pickle and mostly made in limited quantity. It is made in two ways: stuffing it with spices and make bharwa karela achar and the other method is to slice the bitter gourd and add spices in it. Both versions taste delicious , if done properly. It is surely a acquired taste, but once you taste it, you will eventually start liking it.
Karela is a Indian vegetable , mostly consumed all over India but now it is also available in other parts of the world. As it tastes very bitter, many avoid eating it but karela is very healthy vegetable and has many medicinal properties. It helps to regulate blood sugar, improve digestion and boost immunity. It is rich in Vitamin A , C and Iron. It is low in calories and high in fiber and is also good for heart heart as it helps lower LDL.
This karela pickle is quite easy to make, it is a tangy and spicy condiment which pairs well with roti, paratha or daal chawal. If done properly it tastes amazing. Raw mangoes are also added in the pickle for sourness, if available then do ad it in else you can use only mustard powder. A flavourful blend of spices and grated raw mangoes gives a nice tang and punch to this delicious pickle.
How To Make Karela Pickle | Bitter Melon Pickle
To make karela pickle try to choose small size tender young karela as the mature ones have hard seeds inside. Peel the karela skin ( this step is totally optional , as you can skip peeling the skin if you wish too ) Now slice the karela in roundels or cubes as per your preference.
Apply salt in the pieces and cover with a lid and keep for an hour. Then squeeze the water from the slices and then wash the slices with enough water 2-3 times to reduce the bitterness. Boil water in a pan and when it start boiling then add turmeric and the karela slices in it and boil till 80 percent done. Now drain the karela pieces and spread in a plate to cool down.
Grate raw mango and dry roast the spices and crush them coarsely. Heat oil and let it come to room temperature add then add oil,spices and grated raw mango in the karela slices. Mix it well, then fill in the glass jar and keep the jar in sunlight for 3-4 days . Always Keep the pickle covered with oil to preserve for a long time, or keep refrigerated after a week.
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Karela Pickle | Bitter Gourd Pickle
Bitter Gourd Pickle- a tangy spicy delicious pickle made with sliced bitter gourd, raw mango and spices.
Ingredients
- 3 medium Bitter Gourd / Karela
- 1 Raw Mango / Kachcha Aam
- 2 tbsp Mustard Seeds / Rai *
- 1.5 tbsp Fennel Seeds / Saunf
- 15 tsp Fenugreek Seeds / Methidana
- 1.5 tbsp Red Chilli powder / Laal mirch powder
- 1.5 tsp Turmeric Powder / Haldi Powder
- to taste Salt / Namak
- 1 tsp White Vinegar / Sirka
- 1/2 cup Mustard Oil / Sarso ka tel
Instructions
- Wash and peel the karela (peeling skin is totally optional )
- Chop karela into roundels or cubes as per your preference and apply slat on the pieces a. cover and keep aside for an hour .
- Squeeze the bitter water released by the slices and then wash them twice in enough water.
- Boil enough water in a pan and add 1/2 tsp turmeric in it and then add the slices in the boiling water and cook till 80% done.
- Drain the slices from the water and spread on a plate to cool down completely.
- Grate the raw mango and dry roast the whole spices- mustard, fennel, and fenugreek seeds. Now coarsly crush the roasted spices .
- Heat oil and let it come to room temperature .
- Take a big bowl and add the boiled bitter gourd slices in it and mix all the spices, grated raw mango and vinegar in it , mix everything very well and then add the oil in it and mix well.
- Fill the pickle in a glass jar, cover with a muslin cloth and keep in sunlight for 3-4 days so it mature and absorb the flavours well.
- Make sure to cover the pickle with oil to preserve it well else keep refrigerated after a week.
- The pickle will be ready to eat after 10 days, enjoy with paratha, roti or daal chawal.
Nutrition