Why is my stuffed karela (bitter gourd) still excessively bitter after cooking?

Question

Why is your stuffed karela (bitter gourd) still excessively bitter? Learn the proper preparation techniques to reduce its strong bitter taste.

Answer 1

The excessive bitterness in your cooked stuffed karela likely stems from insufficient pre-treatment to remove the bitter compounds, or inadequate cooking time to mellow the flavor.

Detailed Explanation:

Karela, or bitter gourd, naturally contains compounds that impart a strong bitter taste. To reduce this bitterness before cooking, several steps are crucial:

1. Selection: Choose younger, smaller karelas as they tend to be less bitter than older, larger ones.
2. Preparation: Thoroughly scrape out the seeds and the pithy white membrane inside the karela. This is where much of the bitterness resides.
3. Salting: Generously rub the karela inside and out with salt. Salt helps to draw out the bitter juices. Let it sit for at least 30 minutes, or even up to an hour.
4. Washing: After salting, rinse the karela thoroughly under running water to remove the salt and the extracted bitter juices. Squeeze out any excess water.
5. Cooking: Ensure the karela is cooked thoroughly. Longer cooking times can help to further mellow the bitterness. Some recipes also incorporate ingredients like tamarind, jaggery, or amchur (dried mango powder) to counteract the bitterness.

If you skip or inadequately perform any of these steps, the karela is likely to remain excessively bitter even after cooking.

Pro Tip:

Soaking the salted karela in buttermilk or yogurt for a few hours after salting and rinsing can further reduce bitterness. The lactic acid in dairy helps neutralize the bitter compounds. Remember to rinse well before stuffing and cooking.