Sindh Ji RasoiA taste of home, preserved← Back to the recipe tableLasooni Karela
Everyday meals · Sindhi
Lasooni Karela
from the Sindhi table.
Bitter gourd made generous with garlic and masala, a dish that shows how Sindhi cooking finds pleasure in contrast.
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Written recipe
A recipe to
keep close.
Written recipe adapted from the Lasooni Karela chapter of the shared cookbook manuscript.
Ingredients
- 4–5 medium bitter gourds, trimmed and slit
- Salt for soaking and seasoning
- 2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup mustard oil or other cooking oil
- 12–15 garlic cloves, crushed with coriander leaves and 1 green chilli
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
- A pinch of asafoetida (hing)
- Fresh coriander leaves for garnish
Method
- Wash, trim, peel and slit the bitter gourds. Remove the seeds if desired.
- Sprinkle with salt and rest for 20–30 minutes. Rinse and squeeze out excess water.
- Heat mustard oil until smoking, let it cool slightly, then heat it again. Add cumin seeds and let them splutter.
- Add the crushed garlic, coriander and green chilli. Sauté until the garlic is golden and aromatic.
- Add the tomatoes, hing, salt, coriander powder, turmeric and red chilli powder. Cook into a spice paste.
- Add the bitter gourd, stir-fry briefly, cover and cook on low heat for 15–20 minutes until tender and coated with the masala.
- Adjust the seasoning, garnish with coriander and serve with roti, paratha or rice.