Growing bitter gourd has been a deeply fulfilling
experience, perfectly aligning with Nava’s Zen philosophy. The glossy, dark
green fruits are visually stunning, but unfortunately, they don’t last long.
This means the cycle of growing must continue. Despite initial setbacks and
pauses for reasons I can’t quite pinpoint, I’m now ready to start growing
again.
Cultivating bitter gourd is quite simple. You can either dry the seeds before planting or plant them directly after using them in your cooking. To my delight, the seeds from my kitchen produced new plants.
The picture above showcases a Vegetarian Home Style Thali Set, featuring Bitter Gourd Chips, Mango Chutney, Cauliflower Turmeric, and Dried Sundakkai/Turkey Berry Curry (also known as Terung Pipit).
When it comes to Zen health, bitter gourd truly embodies the concept. Known as "Karela" in Hindi, "Karavila" in Sinhala, "Pavakkai" in Tamil, "Peria Katak" in Bahasa Malaysia, and "Kǔ guā" in Chinese, this vegetable offers numerous health benefits. It helps regulate blood sugar levels, making it beneficial for diabetes management. Packed with vitamins and antioxidants, bitter gourd supports immune function, aids digestion, and promotes liver detoxification. Its low-calorie and high-fiber content also aid in weight management.
While the inherent bitterness of bitter gourd can be off-putting, thinly sliced and crispy fried chips are a hit. To mitigate the bitterness, soaking in salt water and rinsing helps. However, should we remove all the bitterness? The bitter compounds, including charantin, are what contribute to the health benefits of bitter gourd.
At home, we don't mind the bitterness, but I do soak
the slices in salt water for about 5 minutes before rinsing. The question
arises: why eliminate all the bitterness when it’s the source of the
vegetable's health benefits?
Zen Cuisine Bitter Gourd
I’m excited to share the simplest Bitter Gourd
Chips recipe, an enhanced Karela Chips version, and the Sri Lankan Bitter Gourd
Salad ("Karavila Salad"). I recreated this salad after tasting it at
a Sri Lankan Malaysian restaurant (CLAYPOT SRI LANKAN FISH CURRY). It’s curious why I didn’t encounter this
salad during my travels in Sri Lanka, or why, despite four trips to various
parts of India, I didn’t find a single bitter gourd dish. Quite the mystery (MYSURU & COIMBATORE & CHANDIGARH NORTH INDIA).
Ingredients
5 bitter gourds, sliced thin, soaked in salt water
for 10 minutes, rinsed, and squeezed dry.
1 tbsp plain chili powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
Salt to taste
Heat oil in a pan.
Mix bitter gourd slices with chili powder and salt.
Fry in batches until crispy. If the mixture becomes soggy, gently squeeze out the liquid before frying.
Drain excess oil on kitchen paper and store in an airtight container.
This version uses cornflour for a better crunch and is enhanced with the aroma of curry leaves.
4 medium Indian bitter gourds - seeds removed, sliced thin, soaked in salt water for 10 minutes, and squeezed dry.
1/2 tbsp plain chili powder
1/2 tbsp plain curry powder
1/4 tsp garam masala
1 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tbsp corn flour
1 tsp rice flour
3-4 sprigs curry leaves, shredded
Salt to taste
Oil for frying
Method
Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl, adding
a little water if necessary.
Heat oil and fry the bitter gourd in batches until
crispy and light brown.
Drain on a kitchen towel and garnish with curry
leaves before serving.
For this salad, the bitter gourd is prepared similarly by frying but tossed with fresh ingredients.
Ingredients
Sliced bitter gourd, mixed with salt and turmeric
before frying
Sliced green chilies (optional: remove seeds)
Tomatoes (seeds removed)
Sliced shallots
Coriander leaves, sliced
Lime juice to taste
Salt to taste
Fry the bitter gourd until crispy.
Toss the fried bitter gourd with green chilies, tomatoes, shallots, coriander leaves, lime juice, and salt.
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