Growing up in India, I remember my mom and my grandmother making this Karela Sabzi often. Although as a child I was not very fond of the bitter taste of Karela, this particular method of preparing the Karela takes out most of the bitterness while adding addictive sweet, tangy flavors with a hint of spice to the dish. If you are one of those people who would like to add Karela to your diet but are on the fence, this recipe is for you!
This Karela sabzi is made by first blanching pieces of Karela in salt water to remove the excess bitter taste. It is then dipped with tamarind and jaggery paste which masks the bitterness while complimenting the flavors. Next, the Karela pieces are generously coated with a flavorful spice mix made using earthy gram flour, nutty peanuts, and warming spices before pan-frying. Garnished with cilantro and sesame seeds these Karela wedges are so tasty especially paired with roti, parathas, dal-rice, or khichdi.