Posts
Bitter gourd to me is a vegetable with a story to tell. A story of some far off women with nothing by way of easy food around and hunger in their children's eyes. Foraging women determined to eke nutrition and taste out anything and everything.Bitter gourd is bitter- there is no way around it. However, as generations of determined cooks have taught us, the bitterness can be harnessed and converted into something absolutely delicious and addictive.
My ammamma (literally, mother's mother) did it this way.
Ingredients
bitter gourd
salt
chili powder
besan/gram flour -though I dont see why regular flour wouldnt work in a pinch
oil to deep fry
Method
Slice the bitter gourd into coins. (At this point, you can toss them in salt, leave half an hour and rinse to take out some of the bitterness, but I find it unnecessary in this recipe.) Toss them with salt, chili powder to taste and sprinkle a small quantity of the flour over them. You are not looking to make a batter, just a light coating. Leave them to rest for half an hour. The gourds will have given out some water. Toss them again to make the flour coating even.
Heat the oil till a drop of flour lifts to the surface almost immediately. Turn the heat to medium and lower the gourd into oil. Fry till golden brown and crisp.
6 comments:
I luv this! perfect snack!
Growing up, I hated kakarakaayi. My mom cooked it 4 different ways and I still hated it, wouldn't even want to taste it.
Fast forward and all gown up, one day, far away from home in Michigan, whilst craving for my mom's food, I remembered this forbidden vegetable.
I drove an hour and a half to the only Indian store in the vicinity and bought three bitter gourds.
I then called and woke up my mom from her sleep for the recipe and finally cooked them.
Believe me when I say that When I took my first bite, I thought I was in heaven. It was absolutely delicious.
If you're are wondering, Ambica, why I'm being nostalgic, its because, the recipe you posted was the exact same one my mom gave me. :-) Keep churning those recipes.
Jigi, your comment is so very lovely and after that is what food means to us Indians - home.
nice recipe
I need to try this to make me start eating bitter guard again!I have tried various and always looking for some new one to make me hit it off with this bitter veggie.Hopefully this will be it :)
Good one and thanks for sharing :)
I'm having a diwali dinner today, and i'm contemplating making these.
usually my deep frying attempts are disastrous, but this is so so tempting...
glad you're posting again!!
Post a Comment