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Home » Indian Sabji Curry » Bharwa Karela / Raw Mango Stuffed Bitter Gourd

Bharwa Karela / Raw Mango Stuffed Bitter Gourd

Published: Jun 29, 2019 Modified: Oct 15, 2020 By Sujata Shukla This blog generates income via ads. This post may contain affiliate links. PepperOnPizza may earn a commission for purchases made after clicking these links. View our disclosure policy for details

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Stuffed Bitter gouBaby bitter gourd held by the fingers and being filled in with stuffing from a stainless steel spoon. Some more stuffed bitter gourd in the background. Below, an image of a white plate with brownish bharwa karela or stuffed bitter gourd after frying. https://www.PepperOnPizza.com

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Finally, a karela / bitter gourd curry which everyone can enjoy! This Bharwa karela or stuffed Bitter gourd is filled with onion and raw mango as well as marinated with turmeric and salt. This removes most of the bitterness. Not that I mind, karela has always been a favourite at home. I love it sliced into rounds, marinated in turmeric and salt and deep fried. Or just sliced into short lengths and sauteed with turmeric and salt. A meal of rice with kadhi or morekuzhambu is incomplete without karela to accompany it.

Overhead image of a white china plate with brown baby bitter gourd or karela, after stuffing and frying. Top left to the plate, a pale pink covered book called ' Amritsar to Lahore' and on the right. a bowl of yellow yogurt based Kadhi

The Punjabi Bharwa Karela is normally stuffed with onion and basic Indian spices including amchur or dry mango powder. During the mango season when fresh green mango is plentifully available, substituting grated raw mango into the filling takes the stuffed bitter gourd to a totally different level. It pulls down the inherent bitterness of the karela and adds its tangy sourness instead.

A baby bitter gourd/ karela held by the fingers while a stainless steel spoon of stuffing is being filled in. Other stuffed baby karela in the background

 

 

 

How to make Tastiest Bharwa Karela/ Stuffed Bitter Gourd

1. Marinating the karela with plenty of salt and turmeric for at least 30 minutes helps to reduce bitterness. Ive specified 2 tablespoons of salt, which sounds like a lot, but its going to be rinsed away before you start the cooking process.

2. Karela skin and pith have a lot of nutrients. I don't peel it before cooking, but have recommended in the instructions below that if you decide to peel it, use the peel and pith (discard the large tough seeds) in the stuffing.

3. After rinsing the karela to remove the salt and turmeric after marinating, pat it dry with a kitchen towel and then microwave it for 1 minute. This helps it to dry out well.

4. While shallow frying the bharwan karela, make sure all sides are well cooked. Keep turning them from side to side so that the browning is uniform.

5. Fresh coriander leaves add to the flavour of the dish. In the ingredients below, I have suggested coriander seeds as an alternative. Similarly, raw grated mango makes the stuffed karela very special, but when its not available, use dry mango powder/ amchur.

Overhead view of ingredients for Bharwan Karela - small bittergourd, turmreric, chili powder, sliced onion, grated raw mango, cumin and nigella seeds, coriander leaves, ginger, fennel seeds
Process Shot: adding green coloured ground mango onion paste and turmeric, chili powder for sauteeing
Image of fingers holding a black sewing thread, wrapping it around a stuffed green bitter gourd. On a white background with a black spool of thread in the background
Process shot: Small bitter gourd/ karela/ pahakkai marinated with turmeric powder and salt
Process Shot: A small green bitter gourd being filled with sauteed stuffing, using a stainless steel spoon. A glass bowl with stuffed karela/ bitter gourd in the background
A batch of small green bitter gourd stuffed with mustard coloured raw mango onion stuffing, all tied up with thread wrapped around to stop the filling from falling out during frying
Process shot: Raw mango, onion and other ingredients being ground in a food processor into a green paste
Process shot: Small bitter gourds stuffed with mustard coloured raw mango and onion filling, ready to be cooked
Process shot: A batch of small bitter gourd/ karela being shallow fried in mustard oil, in a cast iron frying pan

 

About This Post

As you would be familiar, if you have been reading my earlier posts, the Shhh Cooking Secretly Challenge FB Group,  of which I am a member selects a theme each month. For now, we have been going through the Indian States alphabetically. The admins pick pairs of members for each month, and we each specify two ingredients to our partner. These ingredients, which should suit the cuisine of the theme, are the 'secret ingredients'. We each prepare a dish incorporating the 2 ingredients and post an image on our group page. The remaining members all try guessing these ingredients (you may be sure we try to hide them to the extent possible!). It is all enjoyable and fun and we see a variety of interesting dishes for each theme.

The theme for June 2019 is Punjab, that amazing Northern State with a diverse cuisine filled with some of India's signature dishes. Rajma Chawal, Pakode wale Kadhi, Sarsoon ka Saag, Palak Paneer, Aloo Paratha, Chole, are some of the popularly known ones. But there are the little gems which also shine, like this Bharwa Karela.

My partner this month is the friendly food blogger, Aruna SarasChandra, who blogs at Vasus Veg Kitchen Please do visit her blog and check out her detailed pictorial step wise recipes from a wide range. I'm going to try making her Gujarati Instant Khaman Dhokla, soon.   For Aruna, I suggested Besan (chickpea flour) and salt, and look at this Punjabi Khadi Pakodi that she made. For me, the secret ingredients Aruna gave were ginger and fennel, and of course you know what I made out of these!

This month I had an extra partner. Renu Agrawal Dongre did not have a partner, so I volunteered to give her the secret ingredients. I suggested Lentils and Turmeric, and she made one of Punjab's signature dishes, Dal Makhani. Do check Renu's blog, Cook with Renu. I love the versatile range of recipe posts, and the categories, such as 5 minute posts or 5 ingredient posts!

This post is sent to the event Shhh Cooking Secretly Challenge for the theme: Punjabi Cuisine for June 2019.

Shhh Secretly Challenge Group Logo

Some other Recipes you may like from this Blog:

Raw Mango Rice or Mangai Sadam

Ovehead view of a sea green bowl with yellow coloured raw mango rice resting against a piece of sackcloth with 3 green raw mangoes to the right. Mango rice is tempered with curry leaves, dry red chili and gram lentils

Easy Karela / Bitter Gourd Fry with 5 Ingredients

Overhead view of strips of green bitter gourd or karela, after frying with turmeric and salt

Simple Fried Karela Rounds

Round slices of bitter gourd or karela, marinated with turmeric and salt

A baby bitter gourd/ karela held by the fingers while a stainless steel spoon of stuffing is being filled in. Other stuffed baby karela in the background

Bharwa Karela / Raw Mango Stuffed Bitter Gourd

Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Indian, Punjabi
Keyword: bharwa karela, raw mango, stuffed bittergourd, summer
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Marinate Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 2 servings
Author: Sujata Shukla
Bitter gourd or Karela, marinated with turmeric and salt and stuffed with raw mango and onion, and shallow fried. A delicous dry curry from Punjabi cuisine with fresh raw mango substituted for the usual dry mango powder. The onion and raw mango help to reduce the bitterness of the karela.
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Ingredients

For Marinating Karela/ Bitter Gourd

  • 6 -7 baby Karela - or 4 medium sized karela
  • 2 tablespoons Turmeric powder
  • 2 tablespoons salt

For the Filling/ Stuffing - To be ground into paste

  • ½ cup Onion - sliced
  • 3 cloves Garlic
  • 2 cm Ginger
  • ½ cup Raw Mango - peeled, grated
  • 2 teaspoons Amchur /Dry mango powder - Only if raw mango is not used
  • ¼ cup Coriander leaves - minced
  • 2 teaspoons Coriander seeds - Only if fresh coriander leaves are not used
  • ½ teaspoon Fennel/ saunf seeds

For the Filling/ Stuffing - To be sauteed

  • 1 tablespoon Sunflower Oil - or Mustard oil as per preference
  • 1 teaspoon Cumin/ Jeera seeds
  • ½ teaspoon Nigella/ Kalonji seeds
  • Ground onion mango paste as per list above
  • ½ teaspoon Turmeric powder
  • ½ teaspoon Chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon Salt - or To taste

For making Bharwa Karela

  • 3 tablespoons Sunflower oil - or Mustard oil as per preference

Instructions

To Marinate the Karela/ Bitter Gourd

  • Do read the post above before you start, as there are tips that can help you make a delcious nutritious bharwa karela.
    Wash and pat dry the karela. I actually do this well in advance so that it dries out completely.
    I do not peel the bitter gourd as the stuffing and the marinade are going to reduce its bitterness. However, if you prefer, peel each karela with a sharp peeler or knife, removing just the knobbly/ prickly part on the surface. Mince (slice into very small pieces) the peel that you removed, and reserve it for use in the stuffing.
    Keeping both ends intact, make vertical (lengthwise) slits down 2 opposite sides of each karela.
    Carefully scoop out the large seeds and pith from the inside of the karela, using a spoon or knife, making sure the ends are still kept intact. Discard the seeds and mince the pith, reserving it for use in the stuffing.
  • Mix the turmeric and salt together.
    Using a small spoon, apply a layer of the mixture to all parts of the karela, both inside and outside. Place the karela on a colander to drain.
    Allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes. I sometimes leave it for 2 hours, if I am busy with other work.
  • Rinse the karela well so that the turmeric and salt are washed out. Squeeze gently to remove water and pat dry with a kitchen towel. Wrap in a kitchen towel and set aside till required.

To Prepare the Filling/ Stuffing for Bharwa Karela

  • Slice the onion, ginger and garlic. Its all going to be blended, so the slices need not be very small of a particular shape.
    Peel and grate the raw mango.
    Mince the coriander leaves including the stalks
  • Grind the sliced onion, ginger, garlic, grated mango (or mango powder), fennel seeds, coriander leaves (or seeds), into a paste, without adding any water while grinding. The onion will have the moisture to create a fine paste.

To Make Bharwa Karela/ Stuffed Bitter Gourd

  • Keep all the ingredients under the head 'Filling to be sauteed', ready.
    Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a small frying pan (I use my trusty tempering iron kadai). Mustard oil is traditional but as the gourd is bitter enough, I prefer to use sunflower oil.
    Add cumin and nigella seeds and saute for 5 seconds.
    Add the ground onion mango paste, the minced karela peel and pith that you had reserved while preparing the karela for marination, the turmeric and chili. Stir well.
    Keeping the heat on low, saute for 10 minutes, stirring frequently as the 'masala' tends to catch at the bottom of the pan and burn.
    Add salt, stir well and transfer the 'bunaoed masala' stuffing to a dry bowl. Allow to cool to a level that you can handle it for filling the karela.
  • Divide the sauteed stuffing into as many equal portions as the number of karela. Spoon the stuffing into each karela, filling it completely.
    Wind and tie a thread (I used basic sewing thread) around each karela, to keep the stuffing in while frying. This is specially required for the longer karela as the baby ones usually hold the filling tightly inside.
  • Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a medium sized frying pan, and add the stuffed bitter gourd in batches. For the baby gourds, I used a medium sized pan and was able to fry all 6 at once.
    Keeping the heat on medium, turn the karela over periodically so that all sides brown equally. Once the karela turns brown all over (not black, just brown!) use a slotted ladle/ spoon to drain the oil, and remove the stuffed bitter gourd to a serving bowl.
    Snip off and remove the thread wrapping each karela. Serve hot with roti or rice and dal.

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Previous Post: « Strawberry Mango Salsa with Honey Lemon Dressing
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Comments

  1. Mildlyindian (@mildlyindian) says

    July 27, 2019 at 4:24 pm

    Here you have a killer recipe, Sujata. Love love love Karela and now I cant keep my eyes off thsi post. I have to wait for summer for the little karelas to come out and then have these by the plateloads..

    Reply
    • Sujata Shukla says

      July 29, 2019 at 9:55 am

      Thank you, Seema. It will work with larger long bitter gourd too. The small ones are just easier to stuff and cook.

      Reply
  2. Pavani says

    July 27, 2019 at 1:02 am

    This looks absolutely delicious and tempting.Mango and karela in one recipe sounds very interesting and innovative.

    Reply
    • Sujata Shukla says

      July 29, 2019 at 9:55 am

      Thank you, Pavani! Ive been experimenting with raw mango in different dishes!

      Reply
  3. Renu Agrawal Dongre says

    July 26, 2019 at 6:40 pm

    I am not a fan of karela, but your version reminded me the way my mom makes it. I would love to give this a try and as you said, would love to enjoy with some hot kadhi

    Reply
    • Sujata Shukla says

      July 26, 2019 at 7:45 pm

      Thank you Renu! It does taste great with a yogurt based dish!

      Reply
  4. Veena Krishnakumar says

    July 26, 2019 at 5:26 pm

    What a lovely way to use karelas. Even a person who does not like bittergourd will surely love this raw mango filled bitter gourd. I am sure it tastes awesome

    Reply
    • Sujata Shukla says

      July 26, 2019 at 7:46 pm

      Thank you, Veena! Im enjoying experimenting with raw mango!

      Reply
  5. Rafeeda - The Big Sweet Tooth says

    July 25, 2019 at 12:16 pm

    Karela is one vegetable I am really not fond of unless made like a pickle... The bharwa karela sounds very interesting, especially that filling...

    Reply
    • Sujata Shukla says

      July 25, 2019 at 12:58 pm

      Thank you Rafeeda! I have not tried karela pickle! Should try it out!

      Reply
  6. Priya says

    July 23, 2019 at 11:01 pm

    Raw mango and karela is a very unusual combination...definitely going to try it out....lovely share

    Reply
    • Sujata Shukla says

      July 25, 2019 at 11:42 am

      Thank you Priya! When raw mango is in season, it makes a great addition to stuffings and gravy!

      Reply
  7. firsttimercook says

    July 22, 2019 at 5:51 pm

    Bharwa karela is one of most favorite dish with steamed rice. Although we prefer to stuffed masla aloo or even mustard paste still yours is super innovative one. Tanginess from raw mango surely 'll balance the bitterness of karela here ,🙂

    Reply
    • Sujata Shukla says

      July 23, 2019 at 1:07 pm

      Thank you, Sasmita! I do like the aloo stuffed karela too!

      Reply
  8. Vasusvegkitchen says

    July 15, 2019 at 11:18 pm

    I just loved your way you prepared this stuffed bitter gourd di. The way you used salt and turmeric is helpful for me, though I know the process, I never followed as I always prepare it in jiffy. I will try it this time also loved the stuffing di..

    Reply
    • Sujata Shukla says

      July 22, 2019 at 12:24 pm

      Thank you, Aruna!

      Reply
  9. themadscientistskitchen says

    July 12, 2019 at 5:55 pm

    O man! My favorite vegetable. I love the size of these cutie pies so small and even sized. Love the stuffing too. Will have to wait for the next season now to make them.:(

    Reply
    • Sujata Shukla says

      July 13, 2019 at 5:55 pm

      Thank you Archana! Amchur is the traditional addition to the onion spices stuffing, but raw mango just gave it additional flavour.

      Reply
  10. poonampagar says

    July 10, 2019 at 6:49 pm

    Karela is a favourite veggie at my place too. Never tried stuffing bit with fresh raw mango though. I am surely going to try this recipe. Thanks for the share.

    Reply
    • Sujata Shukla says

      July 13, 2019 at 5:54 pm

      Thank you, Poonam! The raw mango and onion made the stuffed karela really delicious!

      Reply
  11. ashima says

    July 10, 2019 at 1:33 am

    oooh...Karela! 🙂 You have quite a few karela recipes Sujata! I don't really make Karela at home because there are no takers other than me but the stuffing sounds delicious. I've never tried a raw mango stuffing.. does it take away the bitterness of the karela?

    Reply
    • Sujata Shukla says

      July 13, 2019 at 5:53 pm

      Thank you Ashima! Yes the raw mango not only adds to flavour but reduces bitterness of the karela. The initial salt and turmeric marination helps too!

      Reply
  12. jayashreetrao says

    July 08, 2019 at 7:29 pm

    This is a good way to eat bitter gourd, looks so delicious. The taste of the filling of mango and onion will surely surpass the bitterness of this veggie.

    Reply
    • Sujata Shukla says

      July 13, 2019 at 5:52 pm

      Thank you Jayashree! The recipe turned out very well, and the onion mango karela tasted good with dal and rice and with chappati too!

      Reply
  13. Batter Up With Sujata says

    July 08, 2019 at 6:08 pm

    Bharwa karela looks super tempting. And small sized karela also looks cute. Loved the use of raw mango in stuffing. Saving the recipe to try. Thanks for the detailed recipe.

    Reply
    • Sujata Shukla says

      July 13, 2019 at 5:51 pm

      Thank you Sujata Roy! The raw mango gives it a very nice flavour!

      Reply
  14. sizzlingtastebuds says

    July 06, 2019 at 3:57 pm

    Akka- this looks like a treat for the Karela lovers back at my place. Instantly bookmarked to try 🙂 loved the different filling too (I usually use Potato or even the scraped skin with some masala for the filling). the baby gourds make it so cute and inviting !

    Reply
    • Sujata Shukla says

      July 13, 2019 at 5:50 pm

      Thank you, Kalyani! I usually make it with potato too. Wanted to try it with spices and onion this time, and this being the mango season, raw mango seemed a good substitute for amchoor, and it worked!

      Reply
  15. namscorner18 says

    July 05, 2019 at 12:04 am

    Lovely stuffed bitter gourd. I love bitter gourd in any form and these looks so delicious and tempting.

    Reply
    • Sujata Shukla says

      July 13, 2019 at 5:49 pm

      Thank you so much!

      Reply
  16. mayurisjikoni says

    July 03, 2019 at 7:41 am

    I'm not a huge fan of karela, but hubby is. He occasionally likes stuffed karela and I usually stuff it with peanuts and coconut. Next time, I'll surely try with onion and mango stuffing. Sounds like a very tasty dish.

    Reply
    • Sujata Shukla says

      July 13, 2019 at 5:49 pm

      Thank you, Mayuri! Peanuts and Coconut -that sounds interesting too, and I must try it that way!

      Reply
  17. The Girl Next Door says

    July 01, 2019 at 7:17 pm

    Oh, my! I have to say - this sounds like the tastiest stuffed Karela sabzi I have ever come across! I love the idea of using raw mango in the filling. That must make the dish heavenly!

    Reply
    • Sujata Shukla says

      July 13, 2019 at 5:48 pm

      Thank you Priya. It is a nice way to have karela, specially for those who are put off by its bitterness.

      Reply
  18. Kevin says

    July 01, 2019 at 8:25 am

    This looks absolutely delicious, combining the bitterness and tanginess of two foods I love! Can't wait to try it!

    Reply
    • Sujata Shukla says

      July 13, 2019 at 5:47 pm

      Glad you like the sound of it and thank you. Do let me know when you try it.

      Reply

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Hello There!

Hello from Sujata Shukla, the Author, Owner, Head Cook and Bottle washer at PepperOnPizza.com. The recipes I share with you are from fresh produce, vegetarian except for the occasional egg, usually made from scratch. Traditional Indian, specially Tamil recipes are my forte, along with a slew of Salads and Soups for a healthy lifestyle. Check out my Author Page!

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