Dum Ka Karela Recipe

Ingredients:

• 12 bitter grounds (karelas)
• Salt to taste
• 15 g ginger paste
• 15 g garlic paste
• 1 tsp (5 g) turmeric powder
• Butter for basting and greasing.

For the filling:

• 150 g paneer, grated
• 60 g groundnuts
• 1 tbs (15 g) sesame seeds
• 15 g coconut
• 1 tsp (5 g) cummin seeds
• 2 (120 g) large onions
• 5 cm ginger, julienned
• 1 1/2 tsp (7 g) coriander powder
• 1 tsp (5 g) chilli powder
• Salt to taste
• 2 tbs (30 ml) tamarind pulp
• 15 g jaggery, crushed

For the tempering:

• 3 tbs (45 ml) sesame oil
• 1/2 tsp (2 g) cummin seeds
• 1/2 tsp (2 g) mustard seeds
• 1/4 tsp (1 g) fenugreek seeds
• 24 curry leaves

Methods to make Dum Ka Karela Recipe:

• WASH and slit the bitter gourds on one side. 
• Remove the seeds and rub with salt.
• Arrange on a tilting tray and keep aside for at least an hour. (Keep the bitter gourds overnight if you prefer them to be even less bitter).
• Put enough water in a pan. Add salt, ginger paste, garlic paste, and turmeric powder.
• Stir and bring to a boil. Add the bitter gourds and blanch them until soft. Drain and
• keep aside.

To prepare the filling:

• Remove the brown skin and roughly chop the coconut. Dry roast the coconut, groundnuts, sesame seeds and cummin seeds in a frying pan until each emits its unique aroma. 
• Hold the onions with tongs and roast them directly over the flame until the skin is charred. 
• Cool, peel and roughly chop the onions. 
• Grind all these ingredients, except paneer, with 1/4th cup water to fine paste.
• Add paneer, ginger, jaggery, coriander powder and chilli powder to the paste and mix well.

To prepare the tempering:

• Heat oil in a frying pan and season with cummin seeds, mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds. 
• Stir over medium heat until they begin to crackle. 
• Add curry leaves and stir.
• Pour over the paste, mix well and divide into 12 equal portions. 
• Put a portion of the filling into each of the blanched bitter gourds. 
• Arrange them in a greased roasting tray with the slit side on top. 
• Cover with foil. Punch a few holes in the foil and cook on dum in the pre-heated oven at 275oF for 30 minutes, basting at regular intervals. 
• Remove and uncover.

To serve: 

Remove to a serving dish and serve with cummin-tempered whole potatoes and buttered seasonal vegetables on the side.