Pan Roasted Bitter Gourd with Potatoes

Bitter gourd is one of those vegetables that people love to hate. But there are some of us who actually quite like this vegetable. It grows on you and it is good for you. Bitter gourd has several good properties like lowering the blood sugar level but that is just the bonus we eat bitter gourd because we actually like it.

Cooking bitter gourd with tamarind and a tiny bit of sugar (jaggery or palm sugar) is the most popular way but adding sugar is quite optional. Making a kara kuzhambu (spicy curry) with it is another way. Roasting is perhaps the perfect vehicle, no sugar addition needed and everybody eats it.

Here are some of the recipes that you can try,

Bitter Gourd in a Peanut Gravy
Pan Roasted Bitter Gourd with Gongura Leaves and dried fish
Tangy Bitter Gourd from Sukham Ayu
Bitter Gourd Poriyal
Bitter Gourd Stir Fry with spicy Garlic Powder
Oven roasted/broiled Bitter Gourd
Roasted Bitter Gourd with Chili Fried Fish
Bitter Gourd Kara Kuzhambu
Bitter Gourd With Cowpeas (thattapayir)
Bitter Gourd in tamarind sauce (pulikulambu)

While roasted potatoes is DD2's favorite and no prizes for guessing that bitter gourd is not up there with potatoes, so how about mixing the two. The potatoes suppress the bitterness of bitter gourd and is also goes great together. The only deal with bitter gourd is it takes a bit of time to get the roasted bitter gourd to get the caramelized texture.

Clean the bitter gourd and cut into half moons.
Peel and slice the potatoes into sticks and get the onions and green chilies ready.
In a cast iron pan add the oil followed by the onions and green chilies, followed by the bitter gourd pieces.
Continue sauteing the bitter gourd in medium low flame till half cooked. Now add in the potatoes. Once potatoes are half cooked add in the spice powders and salt and continue till the potatoes are fully cooked and the bitter is caramelized. The sugar if using should be added towards the end of the cooking process just before turning off the heat.

Pan Roasted Bitter Gourd with Potatoes
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 40 minutes
Ingredients

1. 6-8 medium sized bitter gourd
2. 1 cup thinly sliced onions
3. 6-8 green chilies
4. 2 potatoes
5. 2 tsp turmeric powder
6. 1/2 tbsp chili powder
7. salt to taste
8. 1 tbsp oil *
9. 1/2 - 1 tbsp palm sugar (optional)
10. *I use a cast iron pan so a little bit more oil is required

Method

1. Peel the potatoes and slice them into thin sticks and keep them in water to avoid discoloration.
2. Split the bitter gourd lengthwise and remove the seeds from the inside and slice them into thin moons.
3. In a cast iron pan heat 1/4 of the oil, add the onions, green chilies and saute for a minute. **
4. Add in the bitter gourd and in medium low continue to stir, once half cooked in about 10 minutes or so add in the potatoes drained completely of water. Add in the oil at various intervals if needed.
5. Add in the turmeric powder, salt and chili powder after the potatoes are half cooked.
6. Continue to cook till the potatoes are completely cooked and soft. The bitter gourd should be caramelized by this time.
7. Add in the jaggery or palm sugar if using and cook for another 4-5 times.
8. **The onions tends to cook faster than bitter gourd, so adding them together will prevent the onions from getting charred.

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