Yields

4 servings

Cooking Time

20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 150 g korola (bitter gourd)
  • rock salt (for serving)

For the batter

  • 50 g maida (all purpose flour)
  • 1 pinch turmeric powder
  • 3 g salt
  • 8 g sugar
  • 1 pinch kaalo jeere (nigella seeds)
  • 2 g posto (poppy seeds)
  • 1 pc green chilli
  • 5 g mustard oil
  • 75 g water

This recipe shows you how to prepare korola bhaja—batter-fried rings of bitter gourd—in just 20 minutes. Bitter foods are well-known antioxidants that contain immunity-boosting enzymes. In Bengal, these are generally consumed around springtime, when the seasons are in transition and all manner of allergies/viruses are in the air. Over the years, Bengali cooks have devised clever and delicious ways to incorporate bitters in their diet—fried neem leaves, korola bhaja, and shukto are just a few such items that are eaten with gusto.

Recipe Notes

  • While boiling the korola, do remember that it should be parboiled, and not completely tender; it'll cook again while frying.

Method

  1. Cut korola in rings, 1-cm thick. Cover and steam for 10 minutes. Drain immediately.
  2. To make the batter, mix maida, turmeric powder, salt, sugar, kaalo jeere, posto, finely chopped green chillies, mustard oil, and water.
  3. In a frying pan, heat vegetable oil, 4-cm deep. Coat the korola rings in batter and gently lower into the oil.
  4. Fry evenly till golden.

Equipment

  • Frying pan
Carbon steel frying pan

World Cuisine

Carbon steel frying pan

10.25 inch

Microwaveable glass mixing bowl

Microwaveable glass mixing bowl

Flat steel spatula (Khunti)

Doorbell

Flat steel spatula (Khunti)

31.5 cm

Appliances

  • Stove