Bharwa Karela Recipe | Stuffed karela |

This Bitter Gourd Curry also known as Karela Sabji (in Hindi)
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Is a simple, easy Punjabi recipe. Bitter gourd cubes with lightly caramelized onions, dry mango powder and a few spices make this dish sweet, tangy and bitter in taste. This karela recipe comes from our family and I have learned it from my mother. I hope you enjoy making this one as we do.
karela sabji served in a bowl with text layover.
Not everyone is fond of bitter gourd aka bitter melon or karela (Hindi). Either you will love it or hate it. I fall in the first category of liking this veggie from my childhood.
It is, in fact, one of my favorite veggie and I simply love this recipe. I always make sure that I include karela in our food once or twice a month. Apart from this dish, other karela recipes I make at home are:
Karela fry
Karela pickle
This bitter gourd curry is not overly dry but has some moistness from the caramelized onions and the tender soft bitter gourd.
It is a quick, healthy and easy sabzi that I make with bitter gourd when I do not have enough time for making Bharwa Karela (Stuffed Bitter Gourd Recipe). The ingredients used are similar in both these recipes, except for the method of cooking
Now before I mention step by step details about the karela recipe, let’s take a sneak peek at the health benefits of karela or bitter gourd:
It purifies blood.
Excellent for people having diabetes.
Improves constipation and piles.
Helpful in healing skin disorders.
Besides being good in B Vitamins and Vitamin C, Karela is also rich in minerals like iron, calcium and phosphorous.
Step-by-Step Guide
How to make Karela ki Sabji
1. Rinse and then peel 250 grams karela or 5 small to medium-sized karela. Wash them in running water. Then chop in small pieces.
Remove the seeds while chopping. If the karela is small and tender, then these will have tender seeds and they cannot be removed.
If karela is very bitter, then add some salt to chopped karela pieces. Mix very well and allow this mixture to sit for 15 to 20 minutes.
Then squeeze the karela and rinse them very well in water. This will get rid of some bitterness from the karela.