Pakistan – Keema Bharee Karele (Mince Filled Bitter Gourd)

by Dahiza Umar

INTRODUCTION TO THE DISH

This is the dish made up of bitter gourd, filled with spicy mince, and then dipped into the gravy. This dish is very popular in the Punjab region and served with roti, bread, and rice. In this dish, we have three components cooked independently and then assembled to make a dish. Seeds of bitter gourd are removed from the inside of the vegetable then mince is cooked which is filled inside the vegetable. Than this mince filled bitter gourd is deep-fried, to make it crispier and tastier. The special gravy is made up of traditional methods and dipped that yummiest bitter gourd into that gravy.

NAME OF THE DISH

The name of the dish comes from the word ”KARELE”, known as a bitter gourd in Urdu. And then ”KEEMA” is known as mince of any meat either chicken, mutton, or beef. So the combination of the words, KEEMA BHAREE KARELE is known as Mince filled Bitter gourd. We can also say, mince stuffed bitter gourd.

COMPONENTS OF THE DISH

This dish has three main components, from which this dish comes into existence. Following are the components of the dish:

MINCE FOR STUFFING

Mince of any meat can be taken. This mince is used to spice up, from the traditionally used spices, herbs, etc. Mince is cooked completely and in the dried form. Then this cooked mince is filled into the bitter gourd. The use of spices is very common in Pakistan like cumin, coriander powder, garam masala, etc to make it tastier when filled into the bitter gourd.

GRAVY / CURRY

Gravy is cooked on the daily basis in Pakistan. But this gravy is a little different from the usual one. In this gravy, the use of the onion quantity is more than the regular one. Onions are sliced and cooked according to the recipe method. To make it unique and rich, cream and yogurt are added. It gives gravy richness, spiciness, and a thick texture.

BITTER GOURD

Bitter gourd is peeled off from the outside. Seeds are removed and the cooked mince is filled into it. Then stuffed bitter gourd is fried to make it crispier. To enhance the taste, put it into the gravy.

WASHING OF THE BITTER GOURD

The very first step in cooking bitter gourd is washing, to make it bitter less. First of all, peel off the bitter gourd, and then cut it from the center and remove all the seeds. Now add about 4 tbsp. of salt with 8 tbsp. of flour and mixed it over the bitter gourd. Let it sit for half-hour. Now after 30 minutes, wash the bitter gourd. Drain all the water from the bitter gourd, so that all the bitterness removed. Now our bitter gourd is now much tastier and less bitter, so we can consume it in our dish.

SERVED WITH

This is a dish served with:

• Khameeri roti
• Roghani roti
• Roghani naan
• Sada Nan
• Pratha
• Butter naan
• Garlic nan etc

TIME REQUIRED

• Preparation time : 20 minutes
• Cooking time : 40 minutes
• Total time : 60 minutes

NUTRITIONAL ASPECTS

• Calories : 370
• Carbohydrates : 6 grams
• Protein : 20 grams
• Fats : 32 grams

INGREDIENTS OF MAKING MINCE STUFFING

• Mutton Mince : 1/2 kilogram
• onion chopped : 1
• tomatoes chopped : 1
• garlic paste : 1 tsp
• ginger paste : 1 tsp
• salt : 1/2 tsp
• red chili powder : 1 tbsp
• cumin powder : 1 tbsp
• coriander powder :1 tbsp
• green chilies : 4 tbsp
• butter : 4 tbsp

METHOD OF COOKING

• Take butter into a cooking pot and add chopped onions into it, sautéed it a little. Now add tomatoes into it with garlic ginger paste and fry.
• Now the aroma started appearing, add mince into it and give it fry until brown in color.
• Add about 1 glass of water into the mince mixture and add all the spices into it.
• Let it cook for 20 minutes until the mince soft and tender.
• When water is completely dried, let it set for further processing.

INGREDIENTS FOR GRAVY / CURRY

• Onions : 4 large (sliced)
• Tomatoes : 2 (chopped )
• Garlic paste : 4 tbsp
• Ginger paste : 4 tbsp
• Green chilies : 8 (thin sliced)
• oil : 1/2 cup
• Butter : 4 tbsp
• Salt : 1 tbsp
• Black pepper : 1 tbsp
• Red chili powder: 1 tbsp
• Turmeric powder : 1 tsp
• Cumin powder : 1 tbsp
• Coriander powder : 2 tbsp
• Yogurt : 1 cup
• Cream : 1/2 cup

METHOD OF COOKING

• Take oil and butter into a cooking pot, add sliced onions into it.
• Now add tomatoes, garlic and ginger paste into the onion mixture
• Mix the vegetables together and than all the dried spices with yogurt.
• Let it cook for 20 minutes on low heat, until vegetables gets soft enough.
• Now at end add cream and let it set.

STUFFING OF BITTER GOURD

We have a Bitter gourd which is washed and cut from the center to fill mince into it. Now stuff a minimal amount of mince into the bitter gourd and keep it aside. one should bind the mince into the bitter gourd with thread so that mince should not come out of the bitter gourd.

FRYING OF THE STUFFED BITTER GOURD

These stuffed bitter gourd, fried until they get golden brown in color

ASSEMBLING

Its time to assemble the bitter gourd into the gravy:

Add fried bitter gourd into the gravy which is already cooked and then let it put on low flame to make it unanimously mixed together.

CUISINE: PAKISTAN, ASIAN

COURSE: MAIN COURSE / SIDE DISH

SERVINGS: 4 TO 5