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Karela nu shak is a traditional Gujarati-style sabzi made with bitter gourd (karela), onion, and a unique spice mix. In this recipe, I share some useful tips to reduce the bitterness of karela. This quick and easy dish is made using a flavorful masala prepared with peanuts, sesame seeds, gathiya, and regular Indian spices. The combination balances the bitterness of the karela and makes the sabzi incredibly delicious.
The sabzi offers a well-rounded flavor profile—mildly sweet, tangy, and moderately spicy—typical of Gujarati cuisine. It’s a healthy option and pairs wonderfully with roti and amras.
Tips for Making Delicious Karela nu Shak at Home
- Choose fresh karela: Use medium-thick, green-colored bitter gourds. Peel off the thick skin and slice them into medium-thick round pieces—not too thin.
- Use onions: Adding onion enhances the taste of the sabzi. Keep the onion quantity about half the amount of karela for a good balance.
- Reduce bitterness: Mix the karela slices with salt and lemon juice and let them rest. The citric acid helps draw out the bitterness. If you don’t have lemon, vinegar is a good substitute.
- Prepare a special masala: I make a spice mix using roasted peanuts, sesame seeds, and gathiya (or you can use farsan or roasted gram flour). Amchur (dry mango powder) is added instead of lemon to balance the bitterness and enhance the flavor. A small amount of jaggery is also added to round out the flavors.
- Adjust to taste: You can modify the spice levels based on your preference.
- Tastes better the next day: Karela nu shak absorbs the masala over time, making it even tastier the following day.
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Recipe video
Karela nu shak recipe | karela dungri nu shak | Gujarati karela nu shak
Ingredients
For special masala
- 3 tbsp peanuts
- 3 tbsp white sesame seeds
- ¼ cup gathiya
- 1 tbsp coriander powder
- 1 tbsp red chilli powder
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- ½ tsp black salt
- Pinch of salt
- ½ tsp garam masala
- 1 tbsp amchur powder
- 4 tbsp desi gud
- 1 tbsp oil
- Some coriander leaves
Karela nu shak
- 500 grm karela
- 250 grm onion
- 2 tbsp besan
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- ½ tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- Pinch of hing
- Some curry leaves
- 1 tbsp ginger-green chilli-garlic paste
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- Salt to taste
- Special masala
- Some coriander leaves
Instructions
- Wash and cut 500 grams of karela into medium-thick chips. Also, cut the onion into medium-thick slices.
- In a mixing bowl, add the karela chips and salt. Mix well and let it rest for 10–15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a mortar and pestle, add 3 tbsp peanuts, 3 tbsp white sesame seeds, and ¼ cup gathiya. Coarsely crush them.
- Transfer the coarse powder to a mixing bowl. Add 1 tbsp coriander powder, 1 tbsp Kashmiri red chilli powder, 1 tsp roasted cumin powder, ½ tsp black salt, a pinch of salt, ½ tsp garam masala, 1 tbsp dry mango powder, 4 tbsp jaggery, 1 tbsp oil, and some coriander leaves. Mix well. The masala is ready—keep it aside.
- The karela chips have been marinated with salt. Now add water and mix well. The seeds of the karela will be removed automatically.
- Squeeze out the water from the marinated karela chips and place them on a plate.
- Add 2 tbsp besan and coat the karela chips evenly.
- Heat oil and add the besan-coated karela chips. Fry them on medium-high flame until they are slightly crisp and 90% cooked. Remove and place them on a plate.
- In a pan, heat 4 tbsp oil. Add 1 tsp cumin seeds, ½ tsp mustard seeds, 1 tsp fennel seeds, a pinch of hing, and some curry leaves. Sauté them.
- Add the onion slices and sauté on high flame until the onions turn slightly transparent.
- Add 1 tbsp ginger-garlic-green chilli paste and sauté well.
- Add ½ tsp turmeric powder and mix well.
- Add the fried karela chips and mix well.
- Now add the special masala and mix again. Cover and cook the sabzi on a low flame for 5 minutes.
- Garnish with coriander leaves and serve the karela nu shak with roti and amras.
Notes
- Cut the karela into medium-thick slices; do not cut it into thin slices.
- The proportion of onion should be half that of karela.
- Salt helps release the bitter water from the karela.
- Besan adds crispiness and reduces the bitterness of karela.
- Fry the karela on a medium-high flame; do not fry it on a low flame.
- Amchur powder reduces the bitterness of karela and enhances the taste of the sabzi.
- Jaggery helps reduce the bitterness of karela and gives a balanced taste to the sabzi.
- Cover and cook the sabzi on a low flame so the masala flavor is absorbed into the karela.
- Karela nu shak taste great when it prepared slightly spicy.
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