Sweet and Sour Bitter Gourd

Sweet and Sour Bitter Gourd

This traditional Gujarati "Khat-Mith" (Sweet and Sour) curry transforms bitter gourd into a rich, glossy delicacy by balancing its natural bitterness with a robust jaggery and tamarind glaze. Tender slices of karela are first treated to reduce their bite, then simmered with caramelized onions, aromatic spices, and a tangy-sweet sauce until the ghee separates. The result is an intensely flavorful, melt-in-the-mouth dish that pairs perfectly with roti or rice.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound Onions (Originally '1 seer'. Finely sliced.)
  • 1/2 pound Bitter Gourd (Karela) (Originally '0.5 ratl'. Weighed after peeling and slicing.)
  • 4 ounces Jaggery (Gol) (Originally '0.25 seer'. Pure jaggery.)
  • 4 ounces Ghee (Originally '0.25 seer'.)
  • 1 1/2 ounces Tamarind (Originally '4 tolas'. Cleaned and seeded.)
  • 1 teaspoon Coriander-Cumin Powder (Dhana-Jeera) (Heaping spoonful.)
  • 1 teaspoon Black Pepper Powder (Heaping spoonful.)
  • 1 teaspoon Turmeric Powder (Flat spoonful.)
  • 1 cup Fresh Cilantro (Originally '3 bunches'. Chopped.)
  • 2 whole Green Chilies (Large variety, chopped.)
  • 2 teaspoons Salt (for prep) (For salting the bitter gourd.)
  • 2 teaspoons Salt (for cooking) (Or to taste.)
  • 1 1/4 cups Water (for tamarind) (Originally '1.5 pasher'.)

Instructions

  1. 1Wash the tamarind and soak it in about 1 1/4 cups of cold water in a non-reactive bowl for one hour. After soaking, mash the tamarind well with your hands to extract the pulp, then strain it, discarding the fibers and seeds. Dissolve the jaggery into this tamarind water. Strain the mixture again through a thick cloth or fine mesh to ensure it is clean.
  2. 2Select medium-green bitter gourds that are neither too tender nor too ripe (yellow). Scrape off the rough skin and ridges. Cut them lengthwise into two halves and remove all seeds. Slice the halves into thin, wafer-like semi-circles. Place the slices in a clean bowl, add 2 heaping teaspoons of salt (for prep) and 1 teaspoon of cold water. Rub the salt vigorously into the slices with your hands. Cover and let rest for 1 hour.
  3. 3After resting, rub the slices again and squeeze out all the bitter water. Wash them thoroughly with clean water. Place the slices in a pot with enough fresh cold water to cover them. Boil until tender. (Note: If you prefer less bitterness, drain the water once the slices are slightly soft, add fresh water, and continue boiling until fully tender. If you enjoy bitterness, boil in the same water until soft). Once tender, drain completely and press out any excess water.
  4. 4Peel the onions and slice them very finely (like vermicelli). Heat the ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan or pot. Fry the onions over low heat until they turn red/golden brown. Add the chopped cilantro, green chilies, coriander-cumin powder, black pepper, and turmeric. Fry briefly until aromatic.
  5. 5Add the prepared jaggery-tamarind water, 2 heaping teaspoons of salt (or to taste), and the boiled bitter gourd slices to the pan. Mix well. Cover and cook on low heat, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Cook until all the water evaporates, the bitter gourd has absorbed the sweet and sour syrup ('chas'), and the ghee separates from the mixture. Serve hot.
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