Karela Pyaz
کریلے پیاز
Karela pyaz is the dish that wins over people who say they don't like bitter gourd. The slices are rubbed with salt to draw out bitter juice, squeezed, then fried separately until browned before meeting a big pile of golden onions. The sweetness of the onions balances the karela's bitterness instead of hiding it, and the result is a dry, deeply savoury sabzi that is eaten with roti through the summer.
- ⏱ Total: 1 hr 25 min
- Prep: 50 min
- Cook: 35 min
- Medium
- Serves 4
Method
Tap a step when it is done.
Lightly scrape the bumpy outer skin of each karela with a knife; don't peel it all off. Cut into 5 mm rounds. If the seeds are large and hard, push them out; small soft seeds can stay.
Rub the slices well with the tablespoon of salt and leave for 30–45 minutes; dark, bitter water will collect. Squeeze the slices hard in your fists, rinse twice in fresh water and squeeze dry again.
Heat the oil in a over medium-high heat. Fry the karela slices for 10–12 minutes, turning often, until they are browned and crisp at the edges. Lift them out with a slotted spoon.
In the same oil, fry the sliced onions over medium heat for 8–10 minutes, stirring often, until soft and golden.
Add the garlic paste, tomato, turmeric, chili powder, coriander powder and salt. Cook for 3–4 minutes until the tomato breaks down and the oil comes up around the onions.
Return the fried karela to the pan and turn gently to coat with the onion masala. Cover and cook on low heat for 10 minutes so the flavours mix and the karela softens slightly.
Uncover, sprinkle in the sugar and green chilies, and stir-fry for 2 minutes over medium heat until dry. Serve with roti or paratha and a bowl of plain yogurt.
Plate it while hot; it is also very good at room temperature, packed for lunch with paratha.
Kitchen notes
The salt rub and squeeze is what takes the harsh edge off karela. Don't skip it, and squeeze firmly; the more juice comes out, the milder the dish.
Pick young, bright green, firm karelas with small seeds. Yellowing ones are over-mature, very bitter and full of hard seeds.
Taste before adding the second lot of salt. Some salt stays in the karela even after rinsing.
A summer vegetable with a reputation
Karela is in season through the hot months, and in Pakistan it has a strong reputation: many grew up being told it is good for the blood and digestion, and many older people eat it regularly. Karela pyaz is the most common home style, a dry dish eaten with roti or paratha and a bowl of yogurt to cool the palate. Because it keeps well and tastes good at room temperature, it is also a favourite for lunch boxes and travel.
Taming the bitterness
The bitterness of karela lives mostly in its skin and juice. Lightly scraping the ridges removes some of it, and rubbing the slices with salt draws out the rest as dark, bitter water that you squeeze away. Frying the slices on their own until browned adds caramelised flavour and dries them so they don’t turn mushy. Finally, a generous amount of slowly fried onion brings sweetness that balances what bitterness is left. Some people also add a pinch of sugar, a spoon of tamarind pulp, or a squeeze of lemon at the end.
Variations
- Karela qeema: add 250 g of cooked, spiced mince with the fried karela for a heartier dish.
- Bharay karela: slit whole karelas, stuff them with spiced onion or mince, tie with thread and fry slowly.
- Tamarind: a tablespoon of thick tamarind pulp with the tomato gives a sweet-sour version.
Storing and serving
Karela pyaz keeps for 3 days in the fridge. Reheat it in a dry pan or simply let it come to room temperature. It doesn’t freeze well; the karela turns soft and watery.
Questions people ask
How can I make karela less bitter?
Scrape the skin, salt the slices for at least 30 minutes, squeeze and rinse, fry them until browned, and cook with plenty of onions. A pinch of sugar or a little tamarind or lemon at the end also helps.
Can I make karela with less oil?
Yes. Toss the squeezed slices with 2 tablespoons of oil and roast them in a hot oven or air fryer until browned, then add them to the onion masala.
What is karela qeema?
A popular richer version where the fried karela slices, or whole karelas stuffed with mince, are cooked with spiced beef or mutton qeema instead of only onions.
Nutrition (estimate, per serving)
- Calories
- 205
- Protein
- 3 g
- Fat
- 15 g
- Carbs
- 15 g
