Bitter Melon Skins With Onions And Potatoes Recipes

KARELA (BITTER MELON OR GOURD)

Steps:

• Rinse bitter melon.
• Trim on both ends as needed and scrape any blemishes or hard skin.
• Cut into small rounds.
• Heat the oil in a skillet on medium-high heat.
• Add karela almost in a single layer; stir and cook until brownish.
• Reduce the heat if they tend to burn.
• Add the onions, potatoes and all the seasonings; stir until the potatoes are cooked.
• Add the tomatoes.
• Cook slowly on medium low heat, half covered, stirring as needed, until everything is cooked.
• Variation: To make STUFFED KARELA: Mix all the seasonings for stuffing, substituting 1 teaspoon cumin powder for cumin seeds.
• Using a paring knife, make a long slit in each karela, from one end to another (leaving two ends and bottom of the pod intact).
• Keep the slit open with your thumb and use a spoon to fill the opening with the stuffing.
• Stuff all the karela this way.
• Cook karela in a wide skillet using 2 tablespoons oil, almost in a single layer, on medium heat.
• Stir gently so that stuffing does not come out.
• When half cooked, add the onions.
• Reduce heat to medium low, cooking slowly, half covered or uncovered, until karela are browned.

BITTER MELON SKINS WITH ONIONS AND POTATOES

Steps:

• 1. Boil the potato in lightly salted water to cover until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain, let cool, then peel and cut in 1/4-inch pieces.2. Heat the oil in a large nonstick wok or saucepan over medium-high heat and add the fenugreek, fennel, and kalonji seeds they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Quickly add the onion and cook, stirring, until golden, about 3 minutes.3. Add the bitter melons skins and green chili peppers and cook, stirring, until they are dark brown, about 5 minutes. Then add the tomato, potatoes and cilantro, and stir, about 5 minutes. Mix in the other coriander, mango powder, and salt, and stir, another 5 minutes. By now, the ingredients should be dark brown and completely dry. Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle the garam masala on top, and serve.From "1,000 Indian Recipes." Copyright 2002 by Neelam Batra. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.