Bitter gourd Finger chips

Anything deep fried is always tasty. French fries, kurkure bhindi, potato wafers are all very popular with all age groups. Bitter gourd can also be brought in this category.

Ingredients:

500g bitter gourd, 1 tsp jeera powder, 1 tsp dhania powder, 1 tsp amchur, 1 tsp red chilli powder,1/2 tsp chat masala, 2 tsp corn flour/gram flour(besan), salt to taste and oil for deep frying.

Preparation:

1. Wash and cut bitter gourd into thin round slices or long fingerchips -like.
2. To this, add all the dry spices and sprinkle the corn flour and mix well.
3. Heat oil in a deep frying pan and fry the spiced up bitter gourd till crisp.

This can be served as a snack or with rice.

Sweet and sour bitter gourd

This preparation is very common in Andhra Pradesh villages where they are to use farm fresh gur (jaggery) in everyday cuisine. Simple to make and also comes out tasty.

Ingredients:

500g tender bitter gourd, 3tbsp tamarind pulp, 3 tbsp jaggery

For tempering:

 2 tsp oi, ½ tsp urad dal, ¼ tsp mustard seeds, 2 red chillis, 2 twigs curry leaves, 1 tsp red chilli powder, ¼ tsp haldi (turmeric powder) and salt to taste.

Preparation:

1. Wash and cut bitter gourd into thin round slices.
2. Boil water in a deep vessel, put 1 tsp salt and put the vegetable and boil for another few minutes. Note: You need to put only that much water required for the vegetable to cook so that the nutrients remain intact and keep aside.
3. Heat oil in a pan and put urad dal, mustard seeds, red chillis. 
4. Once the mustard starts spluttering, put curry leaves and bitter gourd. 
5. After frying a little, add haldi powder, tamarind pulp, gur and salt. 

Cook till soft and serve hot with rice.

Spicy Bitter gourd

This is one vegetable which can never be forced down anyone's throat. Its natural bitterness is considered to be very good for the stomach because it can sorts out the harmful germs. But still, it is the same bitterness that keeps people off it. Bitter gourd juice, if had, first thing in the morning is very good for a diabetic. With a little effort we can make it interesting. But the one who likes it, relishes it in any form.

Ingredients:

500g fresh medium sized bitter gourd, 3 onions, 100g tomato puree, 1 tsp ginger paste, 1 tsp garlic paste,1 tsp dhania (coriander powder), 1 tsp jeera powder, ¼ tsp haldi (turmeric powder), 1 tsp red chilli powder,1/4tsp garam masala powder and salt to taste, oil for shallow frying.

Preparation:

1. Wash and smoothen the rough surface of the vegetable using peeler or knife.
2. Make a slit in each of the pieces and scoop out a little of flesh and keep aside.
3. Chop onions finely and keep aside, heat oil in a pan and fry onions till golden brown, add ginger paste, garlic paste, dhania powder, jeera powder, haldi, red chilli powder, salt and fry a little.
4. To this add tomato puree and fry till the oil leaves sides.
5. Once the filling is thick and soft, add the peeled and scooped out flesh into the filling and cook for five more minutes.
6. Spoon the filling into the vegetable and shallow fry in oil till done.

Serve hot with rice or roti.