Kakarakaya fry | Bitter gourd fry | Karela fry

Kakarakaya fry recipe video – Sharing a simple bitter gourd stir fry recipe made in South Indian style. This goes very well with plain rice and ghee or as a side with the rasam rice, sambar rice and curd rice. Bitter gourd is said to be one of the veggies that regulates blood sugar levels, so it is good to use them at least occasionally.

This bitter gourd recipe is from my mum. It is very simple to make and turns out to be very good. If you are one who does not like the flavor of bitter gourd then this is a must try recipe.

The flavors of garlic, coriander powder, tamarind, dried coconut (copra) and jaggery are the key to making this delicious kakarakaya fry. There is no substitute for any of the ingredients used.

To make it the best tasting bitter gourd, use all the ingredients mentioned in the specified quantities. You can also check this healthy bitter gourd curry recipe which doesn’t use any jaggery or tamarind and is even suitable to folks with diabetes.

This is the first bitter gourd recipe on the blog, so sharing a few important notes. If you are a first timer, you can research more about this veggie to find if it is suitable to you.

Notes on bitter gourd

1. Bitter gourd is not suitable to everyone, especially to women and kids. Pregnant women, those with a history of miscarriage, those planning pregnancy and women suffering from Menorrhagia should avoid this veggie to reduce the risk. While it is considered to be safe if consumed in small quantities, it is still a risk.

2. Bitter gourd seeds are said to be toxic if consumed in large quantities or eaten often. So you may remove them before cooking if you eat bitter gourd regularly. There are also evidences that these seeds have medicinal properties and are helpful to people with certain health conditions.

3. Avoid bitter gourd if you are on medications to lower blood sugar. Otherwise it may drop the sugar levels too low.

I do not remove the seeds since we do not eat this veggie often. I make it only once in few months & I do not serve this to my kids. The seeds turn crunchy in the stir fry, so I prefer to keep them.

The key ingredient is tamarind in this recipe. A sour ingredient like tamarind or yogurt cuts down the bitter taste.

If you are making this recipe for a diabetic family member, then use little bit of karupatti or thati bellam. That balances the bitter flavor.

I will be sharing more bitter gourd recipes that are diabetic friendly.

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Kakarakaya fry or bitter gourd fry

Kakarakaya fry

Kakarakaya fry – South Indian style bitter gourd stir fry recipe. It is best served with rice or millets.

Prep Time10 minutes

Cook Time20 minutes

Total Time30 minutes

Servings3 to 4

AuthorSwasthi

Ingredients (1 cup = 240ml )

• 250 grams karela / bitter gourd/ kakarakayalu
• 1 ½ to 2 tablespoons Oil
• ¼ teaspoon salt as needed
• 1 tablespoons garlic chopped
• 50 grams jaggery or palm jaggery/karupatti (about 2 to 3 tbsps)
• 3 to 4 tablespoons copra or dried coconut or desiccated coconut
• 1 tbsp Tamarind or 1 to 2 tbsps curd or yogurt (refer notes)
• 1 sprig curry leaves

Spices

• 1 Pinch hing or asafoetida
• ½ teaspoon cumin or jeera
• 1/8 teaspoon Turmeric
• 1 to 1 ½ teaspoon red chili powder (I used 2 tsps)
• 1 tablespoon coriander powder or daniya powder

How to make the recipe

• Skip this step if using curd. Soak tamarind in ¼ cup hot water. 
• Wash bitter gourd thoroughly. Cut off both the ends. Cut to thin round slices. 
• If desired remove the seeds & discard.
• Squeeze up the tamarind very well and make a thin liquid by adding another 2 to 4 tbsp water. 
• Make sure tamarind water is thin otherwise it may prevent the gourd from getting cooked.

making bitter gourd stir fry

• Heat a pan with oil and add cumin.
• When they begin to splutter, add garlic and fry for 2 mins.
• Add the curry leaves, hing and turmeric. Saute for a minute.
• Next add the bitter gourd and begin to stir fry for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add salt and filter the tamarind across the pan. Use only as needed.
• Mix well. Cover and cook on a medium heat until the bitter gourd is cooked well. 
• Keep stirring in between to prevent burning
• Add coriander powder, red chili powder and mix. Saute for 2 mins.
• Add coconut and jaggery. On a low to medium heat stir fry until the jaggery completely dissolves. Takes about 3 minutes. 
• Check the taste. We prefer to make it slightly hot, sweet and tangy. You can add in more chili powder, jaggery and tamarind water at this stage. 
• Cook until all moisture dries up well.
• Kakarakaya fry is ready to serve with rice and ghee.

Video

NUTRITION

Calories: 164kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 22mg | Potassium: 308mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 720IU | Vitamin C: 87.5mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 1.3mg

Notes

1. The sour ingredient helps to cut down the bitterness. So do not skip it.
2. To make crisp bitter gourd fry, skip covering the pan while cooking and use a bit more oil.

Preparation

Scrub the bitter gourd well and rinse them under running water. Slice them and remove the seeds if desired. Set aside.

Soak tamarind in little water as needed. You can also skip tamarind and use 1 tbsp of sour curd.

How to make bitter gourd fry

1.Heat oil and add cumin. When the cumin splutters add garlic. Fry the garlic for a minute and then add curry leaves, sprinkle hing & turmeric.

2. Fry just for a minute.

3. Add the sliced bitter gourd. Stir fry for 2 to 3 mins.

4. Sprinkle salt and filter the tamarind water. Instead of tamarind you can also use 1 tbsp curd.

5. Mix well. Cover and cook until the bitter gourd turns tender. If you prefer crunchy bitter gourd then fry them without covering stirring often.

6. Add all the spice powders – red chili powder, coriander powder & coconut. Mix and stir fry for 2 to 3 mins.

7. Add jaggery and mix. Stir fry and cook until the jaggery dissolves and moisture evaporates.

8. Add more salt, jaggery and spice if desired.

Serve kakarakaya fry or bitter gourd fry with plain rice or as a side with rice & rasam.