Aamchoori Kareley

• Difficulty: Medium
• Category: Lunch, Snack
• Cuisine: Indian Cuisine, Kerela
• Cooking Method: Frying, Simmering

Ingredients

• 6 Medium Bitter Gourd (Karelay)
• 4 medium Onions , sliced
• 3 g Turmeric Powder
• 3 g Red Chilli Powder
• Salt (To Taste)
• 2 tbsp Malt Vinegar
• 350 ml Mustard Oil
• 1 g Carom Seeds/Bishops weed
• 5 g Ginger
• 1 g Asafoetida (Mixed in a little water)
• 1 tsp Amchoor (mango powder)
• 1 tsp Cumin Seed Powder
• 1 tsp Red Chilli Powder
• 1/2 tsp Saunf (Fennel Seeds)
• 1/2 tsp Black Pepper Powder
• 1/2 tsp Dried Fenugreek Leaf Powder
• 1 tsp Lemon Juice

Instructions

1. Wash the bitter gourd and scrape the skin with a knife. Slit lengthwise, remove the seeds and slice thinly.
2. Transfer to a bowl, add turmeric, red chilli, salt and vinegar. Rub well with your hands to ensure that the gourd gets coated well with the spices.
3. Keep for 30 minutes, then wash in running water, shake dry and keep aside.
4. Add mustard oil in a wok, increase to high heat until the oil starts to smoke.
5. Reduce heat until smoking stops and oil reaches medium temperature. Fry the onions in the oil until golden brown, remove and transfer to absorbent paper to drain excess oil.
6. Now fry the bitter gourd in the same oil on medium high heat until it becomes crispy and golden brown. Remove and transfer to absorbent paper to remove the excess oil.
7. Transfer two tablespoons of the mustard oil used for frying to a wok and heat to medium heat.
8. Add carom seeds, stir well and add ginger along with asafoetida and keep stirring.
9. Increase the heat to high, add the bitter gourd, stir for a minute, then sprinkle mango, cumin, black pepper, red chilli, fennel and fenugreek powders.
10. Stir to mix well. Now add onions, stir, check the seasoning, add lemon juice, stir and remove from fire.
11. Transfer to a bowl and serve.