Kaarelaa (Bitter melon with Onions & Potatoes)

As the children’s song goes, uni uni rotli ne kaarelaa nu shaak – to eat with hot rotli and yogurt on a rainy day.

2 cups kaarelaa (bitter melons), diced 1/2"

1 teaspoon mithu (salt)

2 cups kaandaa (onions), cut into strips

2 cups batekaa (potatoes), cut into strips

8 tablespoon tel (oil)

¼ teaspoon hing (asafetida)

1 suku marchu (whole, dried pepper)

¼ teaspoon hardar (turmeric)

1 ½ teaspoon mithu (salt)

6 teaspoon saaker (sugar) or gol (jaggery or brown sugar)

1 teaspoon marchu (cayenne pepper)

1 teaspoon dhaanaa-jiru (powdered coriander & cumin seeds)

1. Seed and cut the bitter melons. Add salt and let them soak for about an hour.

2. Peel and cut the onions and potatoes in long strips.

3. Heat oil in a non-stick pan. Add asafetida and whole dried pepper. Wait for the pepper to start popping. Add the onions and reduce the heat to medium. Cook for about 3 minutes.

4. Add the potatoes, turmeric and salt. Cook for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked.

5. Squeeze all excess juice from the bitter melon and add the melons to the onions. Cook for 5 minutes.

6. Add the sugar, cayenne pepper and coriander-cumin powder.

7. Remove from heat.

Source: Kokila 1978