Bulgur Stuffed Bitter Gourd and Bitter Gourd Crisps.


Liking this healthful bitter vegetable happened to me after some initial reluctance. Nonetheless after learning its health benefits(fighting diabetes,cancer,infections and more) and cooking in variety of flavorful ways,mixing and matching with spices, tangy lemons and sweet onions,I began to devour them every week.

Onions stuffed is more often on my menu ,however stuffing with spiced bulgur turned out to be another tasty variation,although any left over whole grain would also work perfectly fine for stuffing.

Recipe :Bulgur Stuffed Bitter Gourd/Melon
Ingredients
4-6 medium(about 3 inches long) bitter gourd\bitter melon,slit across and seeded
for stuffing
1 cup cooked Bulgur(broken wheat) or use cooked quinoa or brown rice
1 small onion,chopped
1 big clove garlic,minced
1 inch piece of fresh ginger ,minced
1 teaspoon ground coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
3-4 sprigs cilantro or parsley
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon Canola oil

Method
Heat oil and saute onions until lightly brown,6-7 minutes,add the spices and herbs,let cook another 5-6 minutes on medium heat.Now add the cooked grains(bulgur or quinoa or brown rice).Stir well and turn off the heat.Mix in the lemon juice.
Stuff the mixture in the cleaned cavities of the bitter gourd.Lay on a cast-iron pan ,add 1/2 cup of water.Cover and cook on medium heat for 15-20 minutes until bitter gourd is tender.Can also be baked 350F for the same amount of time.Serve alongside brown rice and lentil soups(Sambar or rasam).



Spiced with coriander seeds,this seems like an eligible entry for Priya's - Cooking with seeds : coriander seeds and also for my bitter better foods challenge.

Bitter Gourd Crisps

A no-fuss simply spiced and baked Bitter Gourd Crisps.This recipe was drafted for very long now,adapted from Jugalbandi.
To make the crisps : Rinse and thinly slice 2 medium bitter gourds.Mix in the spices of choice,I used 1 teaspoon of dry spice mix that included ground cumin,chili powder,turmeric and salt along with tablespoon of canola oil and 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger.Bake at 375 F for 15 minutes until crisp.Sprinkle some fresh lemon juice and savor as a side of any meal or snack.

Comments

Joanne said…
I tried a bitter gourd plain once for a class on alternative medicine. It was not a pleasant experience. But I'd be willing to give it another shot considering how delicious this filling looks!
PJ said…
this is a unique bulgar stuffing for the bitter gourd.. not my favorite veggie either, but it looks so delicious, I am ready to give it another try!
Rachana said…
wow!!! A great recipe and I loved the filling:)
Padhu Sankar said…
A wonderful recipe with those fillings .Thanks Yasmeen for sharing
Tina said…
Its new to me...Sounds healthy and delicious...
Awesome idiea yasmeen.. wish this to try as it is healthy as well as my fav veggie too.
Anjum said…
Love the filling.A must try.
An award waiting for u.
Anjum said…
Love the filling.A must try.
An award waiting for u.
Sunitha said…
Interesting that you added bulgar filling. I am sure this one will be a great recipe.. I love bitter gourd so one more way to do a fav veggie of mine.. thanks for sharing
Priya Suresh said…
Wat a healthy and interesting stuffed bittergourd...prefect for me..
I am going to have to try this bitter gourd again. I grew up eating it weekly.
Cool Lassi(e) said…
Hey,
I bought bitter gourd/melon to make something JUST for your event dear.
This dish is looking yum.That doesn't mean I want to give it a try. My mom used to practically shove dishes made from it down my throat. Not a pleasant experience!
tasteofbeirut said…
Very pleasing photo and you make the bitter gourd sounds not bitter after all! Great stuffing with any veggie!
Dewi said…
I eat this a lot when I was growing up, in Indonesia they always soak them with salt then rinse to get rid of the bitterness. I am tempted to make your version. Is this variety less bitter then the South East asian bitter melon? How do you make it less bitter? Thanks Yasmeeen!
Yasmeen said…
Elra,the young bitter gourds are usually less bitter than large fully grown.
Trendsetters said…
I have bitter guard in my chiller..will try this today
Mints! said…
Loved the addition of bulgur. I usually stuff chick pea flour but will use bulgur next time.
Nithu Bala said…
Lovely stuffing..wonderful recipe Dear:-) Thanks for sharing..
Gita Jaishankar said…
Very innovative Yasmeen...the stuffing sounds tasty and filling...very healthy!
Anonymous said…
These gourds sound very delicious with the bulgur stuffing, what a creative recipe!
Joie de vivre said…
I've heard of these but have never seen them. I need to keep an eye out!
Deepa G Joshi said…
such a tasty filling..love the clicks..wonderful..

www.foodlyrics.com
CurryLeaf said…
I never find small bgourds here.Looks perfet Yasmeen.With the right amount of right spices the bitterness can be avoided or masked.Healthy filling
Malar Gandhi said…
Wow, I like the new header...looks beautiful.

stuffed karela looks wonderful...
Sharmila said…
I often use potatoes or coconut for the filling ... bulgur sounds interesting. I like the size of the karelas ... real cute to serve. :-)
Cham said…
I love bitter gourd , the stuffing is very new!
shahana said…
nice healthy recipe.Im bookmarking this
Trendsetters said…
Tried this wonderful recipe...came out well...I ve posted it in my blog

http://creationz2009.blogspot.com/2010/03/brown-rice-stuffed-bittergourd.html
EMR said…
Stuffed bitter gourds are very tasty...but i do believe that having the raw juice or the boiled ideas are more healthy.
Nice blog and look like so delicious recipe.
Thank You,

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