Karathe kismuri (Konkani bitter gourd sabzi)
Karathe kismuri is a tasty veggie side dish from the Konkani community in Mangalore (where Yogesh is from). Karathe is Konkani for bitter gourd. It consists of fried karela (bitter gourd in Hindi!) which is then cooked in a freshly ground masala made from coconut, chillies, tamarind and coriander seeds. Fried & crispy garlic is also added - making it extra delicious. It pairs very well with rice and dal (and of course a little bit of pickle alongside!). It makes for a healthy and comforting midweek meal.
Do check out some of my other Konkani recipes like
Bitter gourd or karela has slowly become a favourite vegetable of mine. Yogesh loves it, but I wasn't so convinced in the beginning - because it was so bitter and nothing like I had tasted before. However, now I do try and get it when it looks good in the Indian supermarket! I think it is just about trying it in various ways with different dishes! As the name suggests karela has a bitter taste and the riper it is - the more bitter it becomes. Sadly, it has a bad reputation (you could almost compare it to the reputation of the yeast extract marmite - you will either love or hate it!) However, it’s very healthy - it’s great for controlling your blood sugar levels, it is high in vitamin C and helps digestion.
If you want to try it but are unsure of the bitter taste I have three main tips for you.
- Choose tender young karela (the karela flesh should be white from inside. If the inside flesh is orange it is most likely overipe and old and may not be nice to eat).
- Remove the seeds (these will be the most bitter).
- Soak the chopped karela in salted water for half an hour, this will remove some of the bitterness.
Serves 3
For the bitter gourd
4 large bitter gourd (choose tender young bitter gourd/karela).
1 tsp salt
Water as required
Oil as required '
2 shallots or medium white onion finely chopped
50g (1/2 cup) grated coconut (fresh or frozen). You can also use desiccated coconut - but then just soak it in a little warm water for 20 minutes beforehand.
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp tamarind paste or a small piece of fresh tamarind I used tamarind paste
8 dried Kashmiri red chillies broken into pieces
Water as required
Pinch asafoetida
Time - 30 minutes + 30 minutes soaking time
- First, prep the bitter gourd. Slice them lengthways, remove the seeds and chop into bitesize pieces. Add to a bowl, sprinkle with 1tsp salt and add enough water to cover. Leave for 30 minutes.
- Whilst the bitter gourd is soaking you can make make the masala. In kadai or frying pan on medium heat, add the coriander seeds and dry roast them until fragrant. This step is optional - but I think it just gives the masala a better flavour! Once roasted, remove and then add to a blender along with coconut (soaked desiccated or fresh), tamarind, chillies and a pinch asafoetida. Blend with a little water until a smooth paste. Set aside.
- In the same kadai or deep frying pan, add a 1 cm layer of oil. I used my kadai (Indian style wok). This is because you need much less oil to create a 2cm layer in a kadai compared to a flat bottomed frying pan.
- Strain and squeeze out any excess water from the chopped bitter gourd and add to the pan. Fry the bitter gourd for 15 minutes until browned and soft. Keep moving the bitter gourd in the pan so it fries evenly. The bitter gourd will decrease considerably in size. Once fried, remove and set aside on a plate (leaving the oil behind in the pan).
- In the same kadai or frying pan, add the chopped garlic. Fry until crispy and then add the onions. Saute until softened.
- Add the prepared coconut masala and saute until slightly reduced - around 5 minutes. Next, add the fried karela. Mix well and cook for 5 more minutes until the sabzi becomes slightly dry - there should be no gravy/sauce.
- I like to garnish with a little fresh coriander and the serve with dal and rice. Leftovers will keep for a few days in the fridge!
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