BHARLI KAARLI (II) (COCONUT MASALA STUFFED BITTER GOURDS)

Bharli Kaarli is basically a dish made by stuffing bitter gourds with a coconut masala. This is a slightly dry vegetable preparation, but the coconut stuffing makes up for the moisture and gives it a wonderful flavour.

There are so many people who are wary of trying bitter gourds due to their intense bitter flavour. But then this nutrient dense dish is so good for us! So, basically there are some ways by which we can surely do away with it’s bitterness. One such method is boiling the deseeded gourds with kokum and salt, which is exactly what I have done in this recipe!

It was many years back that this recipe was shared with me by a dear friend, and I have been a fan of it since the day I tasted it. The use of some aromatic spices here, make it very flavourful. Though this recipe calls for some extra oil than what is generally used, I have tried to use as little as I could.

For some more delicious dishes, do take a look at the following recipes too….

1. Bharli Bhendi
2. Bharli Kaarli (I)
3. Besan Shimla Mirch Ki Sukhi Sabji

Here’s the recipe for the delicious and nutritious Bharli Kaarli….

Prep Time : 30 min

Cooking Time : 20 – 25 min

Serves : 4

INGREDIENTS :

• 8-9 Small Bitter Gourds (Kaarli/Karela)
• 8-9 Kokum
• 1 1/2 cups Water
• 1 tsp Turmeric Powder
• 3 tsp Malvani Masala
• 1/2 tsp Spicy Red Chilli Powder…. Optional
• 1 tsp Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder
• 3 tbs Jaggery
• Salt To Taste
• 3 tbs Oil

To Be Roasted :

• 1 tbs Oil
• 1/2 cup Thinly Sliced Onions
• 1 1/4 cup Grated Dry Coconut

METHOD :

1. To make Bharli Kaarli with coconut masala, we first need to cook the bitter gourds and do away with their bitterness.
2. Scrape slightly the outer rough spikes on the gourd and clean them thoroughly.
3. Make a vertical slit on one side from one tip to the other, to make a pocket in it and discard the seeds.
4. Insert one kokum in each pocket and place them in a pressure cooker.
5. Add the mentioned quantity of water and a teaspoon of salt and cook the gourds for 3-4 whistles on high flame.
6. Open the pressure cooker only when the pressure releases naturally and drain out all the water.
7. Retain the inserted kokum in the gourds itself and set aside in a sieve to drain out any water if remaining.
8. In the meantime, heat a kadhai and add oil to it for roasting.
9. Add the sliced onions and saute till translucent.
10. Next, add the grated dry coconut and saute continuously till it turns slightly brown.
11. Cool the mixture and grind in a mixer grinder using as little water as possible to get a thick paste for stuffing.
12. To this mixture, add the jaggery, turmeric powder, red chilli powders, Malvani masala and salt to taste.
13. Take care while adding salt, as the gourds to retain some saltiness from the water in which they are cooked.
14. Stuff this mixture in the cooked gourds and set aside.
15. Next, heat a pan and add oil to it. Release the stuffed gourds and let cook on one side with the lid on.
16. Flip and cover and cook well till the other side too is slightly charred.
17. When done transfer to a serving bowl.
18. Serve these delicious and nutritious Bharli Kaarli with soft phulkas or with some Daali Toay and steamed rice!
19. Do serve some Phodnichi Koshimbir by the side too!

Pics depicting the process of cooking…

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