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Karawila curry
කරවිල කරිය (karawila curry): bitter gourd stewed in coconut milk with roasted curry powder
Bitter gourd is a favourite of older Sri Lankan cooks, and karawila curry appears on weekday tables across the island alongside rice, dal and a mild white curry to balance its bite. The gourd is salted, squeezed and lightly fried, then stewed in coconut milk with roasted curry powder, tamarind and a touch of sugar, so it becomes dark, glossy and pleasantly bitter rather than harsh. The usual mistake is skipping the salting and squeezing, which leaves the curry fiercely bitter. Chef's tip: fry the gourd until the edges are brown before it meets the coconut milk; the browning softens the bitterness more than sugar does.
- Total time
- 35 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 14 oz bitter gourds (karawila)halved, seeds removed, sliced 5 mm thick
- 1 ¼ tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 3 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 red onionsliced
- 3 cloves garlicsliced
- 2 green chilliesslit
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- ½ tsp chilli powder
- 1 tsp tamarind pulpmixed with 2 tbsp water
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1 tsp sugar
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Toss 14 oz bitter gourds (karawila) with 0.9 tsp salt and ½ tsp ground turmeric and leave for 10 minutes. Squeeze hard by the handful to press out the bitter juice.
10 minStep 2: Heat 3 tbsp coconut oil in a wide pan over a medium-high heat. Fry the gourd for 5–6 minutes, stirring, until the edges are browned and crisp-looking.
6 minStep 3: Push the gourd aside, add 1 red onion, 3 cloves garlic, 2 green chillies and 1 sprig curry leaves and fry for 3 minutes until the onion is golden.
3 minStep 4: Stir in 2 tsp Sri Lankan roasted curry powder and ½ tsp chilli powder for 30 seconds, then add 1 tsp tamarind pulp, 1 cup coconut milk, 1 tsp sugar and the rest of the ⅓ tsp salt.
1 minStep 5: Simmer uncovered for 6–8 minutes until the gravy is thick and dark and the gourd is tender. Serve with rice.
8 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 220 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbs
- 12 g
- Fat
- 19 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does karawila curry take?
- About 35 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of ground turmeric?
- Leave it out (it mostly adds colour).
- What can I use instead of red onion?
- White onion or shallots, same amount (soak raw onion in cold water for 10 minutes to soften it).
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