Bitter Gourd - Karela

Bitter Gourd (Karela) - Distinctive Flavour for Home-Cooked Dishes

Explore the bold flavour of Bitter Gourd (Karela), also known as bitter melon. This vegetable is valued for its characteristic bitterness and versatility in South Asian cooking. Slice it for a spiced sabzi, prepare a stuffed masala version or simmer it in a curry. Choose from 250g, 500g or 1kg options to suit your recipe.

Benefits in the Kitchen

Bitter Gourd (Karela) brings a distinctive contrast to meals and works with a variety of seasonings and cooking methods.

• Use thin slices for a pan-fried vegetable side dish.
• Stuff whole pieces with a savoury spice mixture for bharwa karela.
• Pair with onions, tomatoes, tamarind or coconut in cooked recipes.
• Serve alongside rice, roti and dal for variety in everyday meals.

Ingredients and Composition

Fresh bitter gourd fruit (Momordica charantia). This listing is for the vegetable itself, not a prepared dish, juice or supplement. Spices and other ingredients mentioned in serving suggestions are not included.

How to Prepare

Wash Bitter Gourd (Karela), trim the ends and slice evenly. Remove tough seeds and firm central pith as needed. For stuffed dishes, make a lengthways slit and scoop out the centre. To soften some of the bitter flavour, lightly salt the cut pieces, leave briefly, then squeeze gently, rinse and drain before cooking. This reduces, but does not remove, its characteristic bitterness.

How to Cook

For a sabzi, sauté sliced pieces with onions and your preferred spices until cooked through. For bharwa karela, fill the prepared vegetable with your chosen masala and pan-cook gently, turning as needed. Alternatively, simmer pieces in a tomato-, tamarind- or coconut-based curry until tender. These are culinary suggestions, not health or treatment recommendations.

Storage

Keep Bitter Gourd (Karela) refrigerated and protected from excess moisture. Wash just before preparation, refrigerate cut portions in a covered container and use promptly. Follow any storage instructions and dates supplied with your order.