Puratified Bitter Gourds (jazzed up gourds)

This was meant to be a stuffed Karela/Bitter gourd dish but guess what...? I forgot to prepare a stuffing in the midst of some work that I was busy with...Alas! so when you do come across this recipe, do add a stuffing like a mixed paneer or a kheema filling.

These porcupine shaped baby gourds were washed and a slit was made on a side and the insides both seed and fibrous texture scooped out. I then coated it with salt and turmeric and let it sit for a while. You will notice that after a while there will be some liquid that would have formed as the vegetable would have released its own water and bitterness. Not entirely but at least a certain amount of bitterness would have escaped. Drain and set it aside.

 In a saucepan with a nice glug of oil I fried some ground onions one or two (the onion was ground to a paste with a bit of ginger, garlic and cumin seeds) As this ground mix fries in the oil and loses its raw look and flavour, add in a bit more turmeric and a nice heap of chilly powder as per your taste. Sauté that well and then add in the drained out pavakya/bitter gourds to this now almost spiced and jazzed up onion mix. Place a lid over the dish and allow it to cook well.

As you had added salt initially, do taste and then carefully add more salt if required. If you are filling the cavities with a mince of choice do keep in mind that that mince/filling would already have salt in it. So keeping all these nuances in mind, enjoy these little porcupines.

After tasting for salt, I did add some left over egg wash into the pan that I had after doing a caterpillar bread,. Hence that eggy mix helped to take the gourd to another level and I let it slowly simmer and come together in a scrambled format along with the gourd.

Have it with a bowl of rice. If you want a more charred look on the gourds, continue to sauté it for a longer period. Coconut oil can be used to enhance the flavour of the gourd( Purely optional)

My very healthy swollen caterpillar bread. Lesson learnt: I could have made two out of this entire dough. These were filled with momo sauce, a creamy mayo and sausages.