INTRODUCTION TO THE DISH

This dish is very common through out the Pakistan and is like a routine dish for those who live in Punjab, Pakistan. This dish is Punjabi dish and loved by the people of Punjab. This is actually a dish made up of two components with having main ingredients like Mince and Bitter gourd and this two ingredients stuffed and than mixed in the curry made by normal home made ingredients.

The name of the dish came from the word Stuffing, Stuffing is like mince which is spiced up is stuffed into the bitter gourd so the translation of this mince stuffed bitter gourd in urdu is, KEEMA BHARE KARELY. Keema is known as Mince in English either of any meat. Karely is called Bitter gourd in urdu, and stuffing of keema into karely is called Filling means BHARNA. So the name came out as keema bhare karely.

COMPONENTS OF THE DISH

This dish has almost three components, they assemble together in such a way that it will make you feel in heaven.

The first component of the dish is of course, MINCE. Mince is used in this dish that is spiced up with it own simple spices and few chopped vegetables like onion and tomatoes to make mince spicy when stuffed into the bitter gourd. Mince is used of any meat like Chicken, mutton and even with the beef.
Second component came into mind as the name indicate Karely, bitter gourd. This is the second main ingredient and can be used as into which mince is stuffed. To make Bitter gourd less bitter many methods are used, like by salting and washing as discussed later.
And the last thing is Curry/ Gravy, our normal masala/ gravy made by onion and tomatoes with authentic and traditional spices.

TRADITIONAL CUISINE OF PUNJAB

As a true Punjabi, I love dishes of my traditions and even loved by people came from other region like Sindhi, Baluchistan etc. Punjabi traditional dishes are made with authenticity and their old tradition. The use of woods for fire and using clay pots as a cooking pot. These are the traditions that are still alive in Pakistan when move towards the area of Punjab.

HISTORY OF THE DISH

This dish is original dish of Punjab. When Punjab came into mind there are two basic regions, India and Pakistan where Punjab exists. At the time of Indian Subcontinent, the Punjab is same sharing their Traditions, values and flavors with culture. The cuisine of Punjab either in Pakistan and India so this dish is originated from that time and now included in the national cuisine of both region, India and Pakistan.

TIME REQUIRED

Preparation time : 20 minutes
Cooking time : 40 minutes
Total time : 1 hour

NUTRITIONAL ASPECTS

Calories : 900
Carbohydrates : 50 grams
Protein : 46 grams
Fats : 45 grams

SERVING OF THIS DISH

This dish is served only with the bread that are popular in Pakistan like :

Roti
Khameri roti
Naan
Butter naan
Tandoori roti
Garlic Naan
Paratha etc

WASHING OF BITTER GOURD

The main thing in making this dish is washing the bitter gourd to it less bitter. To make bitter gourd able to eat there are few methods like washing and salting :

THERE ARE FOLLOWING STEPS :

Take bitter gourd and peel the outer layer of the bitter gourd and take the seeds out of the bitter gourd. Cut the middle section longitudinal and remove the seeds.
Now wash them with luke warm water.
Take salt around 5 tbsp spoons and mix them with salt and let them set aside for 2 hours.
After that wash the bitter gourd and let it rest for next cooking step.

INGREDIENTS

INGREDIENTS OF MINCE PREPARATION

Mince : 1 kilogram
onion : 1 choppes
salt : 1 tsp
red pepper : 2 tbsp
garam masala : 1/2 tsp
Dried pomegranate seeds : 2 tbsp
Mint leaves : 3 tbsp
Green coriander : 3 tbsp
Green chilies : 2

INGREDIENTS FOR CURRY / GRAVY

Onion: 3
tomatoes : 3
garlic paste : 2 tbsp
ginger paste : 4 tbsp
salt : 1 tsp
red chili : 1 tbsp
coriander powder : 2 tbsp
cumin seeds : 2 tbsp
turmeric powder : 1 tbsp
black powder : 1 tbsp
oil : 1/2 cup
yogurt : 1 cup
cream : 4 tbsp

COOKING METHOD

Mince preparation

Take mince and all other ingredients in a bowl and mix them together like chopped onions, all dried ingredients and let it rest aside to marinate it completely and juices releases to make it soft and tender.

BITTER GOURD STUFFING

Take a bitter gourd, that is cut longitudinally from mid and from that slit stuff the small amount of the preprared mince into the bitter gourd.
Prepare all the bitter gourd and stuff it with mince that is prepared before.
Now take thread and bind the slit around the bitter gourd to make it secure from leaking the meat out of the stuffed bitter gourd.
Now we have our stuffed biter gourd is ready.

FRYING OF BITTER GOURD

Now this stuffed bitter gourd is ready to fry into the deep oil, fry until they cooked and browned.

METHOD OF GRAVY PREPARATION

Take a cooking pot and add oil into it.
Now add onion and tomatoes into oil and sauted it for a while until the onions get translucent and aroma started appearing.
Now after that add Garlic ginger paste and all the dried spices into.
Add a glass of water into the mixture and let it cook for 20 minutes so that the vegetables soft and mixed into gravy.
Now see of the spices get induced into the mixture than yogurt into it and mix it well.
Now its time to add stuffed bitter gourd into gravy and let it cook for 20 minutes on slow heat.
At last add cream into it to make it creamy texture.
Enjoy!

Pakistan – Keema Bhare Kareely (Mince Stuffed Bitter Gourd)