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Karela piaz
کریلے پیاز (karele piaz): fried bitter gourd tossed with a mountain of browned onions
Bitter gourd divides every family in Punjab, but karela piaz is the version that wins over the doubters: the gourd is salted, squeezed and fried until its edges crisp, then tossed with almost as much browned onion as karela, so the sweetness of the onions softens the bitterness. In Lahore it is a summer dish, a staple of tiffin carriers and home lunches with chapati and a cooling bowl of raita, and some households pack it for long train journeys because it keeps well. The thing most people get wrong is skimping on the onions or rushing them; pale, half-cooked onions leave the dish harsh rather than mellow. Chef's tip: rub the slices with salt and a little turmeric, leave them for 30 minutes, then squeeze hard by the handful, which draws out much of the bitterness before cooking.
- Total time
- 70 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the karela
- 1 ⅛ lb bitter gourds (karela)ridges lightly scraped, sliced into 5 mm rounds, large seeds removed
- 2 tsp saltfor drawing out bitterness
- 1 /4 tsp ground turmeric
- 6 tbsp vegetable oil
For the masala
- 4 onionshalved and thinly sliced
- 1 tomatochopped
- 1 /4 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp red chilli powder
- 1 ½ tsp ground coriander
- 1 /2 tsp salt
- 3 green chilliesslit
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Toss 1 ⅛ lb bitter gourds (karela) with 2 tsp salt and 1 /4 tsp ground turmeric and leave in a colander for 30 minutes.
30 minStep 2: Squeeze the slices firmly by the handful to press out the bitter juice, then rinse once and squeeze again; pat dry on a clean cloth.
2 minStep 3: Heat 3 ⅝ tbsp vegetable oil in a wide frying pan over a medium heat and fry the karela in a single layer, in two batches if needed, for 8–10 minutes, turning, until browned and crisp at the edges; lift out with a slotted spoon.
10 minStep 4: Add 2 ⅜ tbsp vegetable oil to the same pan with 4 onions and fry over a medium heat for 10–12 minutes, stirring often, until deep golden brown and soft.
12 minStep 5: Add 1 tomato, 1 /4 tsp ground turmeric, 1 tsp red chilli powder, 1 ½ tsp ground coriander and 1 /2 tsp salt and cook for about 3 minutes until the tomato breaks down.
3 minStep 6: Return the karela with 3 green chillies and 1 tsp dry mango powder (amchur) and toss gently to coat.
2 minStep 7: Cover and cook over a low heat for 5–6 minutes so the flavours meld, then uncover and stir-fry for a minute until dry. Serve warm or at room temperature with chapati.
6 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 230 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbs
- 18 g
- Fat
- 17 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does karela piaz take?
- About 70 minutes in total: 40 minutes to prepare and 30 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 onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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