Keema Karela

Ingredients

• 500 g karela (bitter gourd), ridges scraped, halved lengthwise and cut into 1 cm half-moons
• 1½ tsp salt, for salting the karela
• 400 g beef mince (keema), preferably not too lean
• 6 tbsp cooking oil, divided
• 2 large onions, thinly sliced
• 1½ tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 2 green chillies, slit lengthwise
• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 3 tbsp plain yogurt, whisked
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 1½ tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp salt, or to taste
• 1 tsp sugar or grated jaggery
• ½ cup hot water
• ½ tsp garam masala
• 3 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped
• 1 tbsp ginger, cut into thin matchsticks, for garnish

Instructions

1. Toss the sliced karela with 1.5 tsp salt in a bowl and leave it to rest. The salt draws out the bitter juices.
2. Squeeze the karela firmly in your fist a handful at a time, then rinse briefly and pat dry with a clean towel. Dry pieces brown instead of steaming.
3. Heat 3 tbsp oil in a karahi over medium-high heat. Fry the karela in a single layer, stirring now and then, until the edges are deep golden and the pieces have shrunk, about 8 minutes. Lift out onto a plate.
4. Add the remaining 3 tbsp oil and the sliced onions to the same pan. Fry over medium heat, stirring often, until golden brown, about 10 minutes.
5. Stir in the ginger-garlic paste and green chillies for 1 minute until the raw smell goes. Add the mince and break it up with a spoon. Cook on medium-high until all the pink has gone and the liquid has evaporated, about 8 minutes.
6. Add the chilli, turmeric, coriander, cumin, 1 tsp salt, tomatoes and yogurt. Cook, stirring, until the tomatoes collapse and oil separates at the edges of the masala, about 8 minutes.
7. Return the karela to the pan with the sugar and hot water. Stir, cover and cook on low heat until the karela is tender when pressed and the mince is cooked through (at least 71°C), about 15 minutes.
8. Uncover and cook on medium for 3 minutes, stirring, until the gravy clings to the meat and looks glossy. Stir in the garam masala, then top with fresh coriander and ginger matchsticks.

Tips

• Do not skip the salting and squeezing step. It removes much of the sharp bitterness without making the karela bland.
• Scrape the ridges rather than peeling the skin off completely, since the skin helps the pieces hold their shape.
• Browning the karela well before adding it to the masala gives a better flavour and a less watery finish.
• A little sugar or jaggery does not make the dish sweet. It rounds off the remaining bitterness.