Bitter but Beneficial!

Stuffed Bitter Gourd

Stuffed bitter gourd is a spicy, tangy dish with a hint of bitterness. It is best served with hot rice along with a drizzle of ghee or sesame oil.

Ingredients:

• Small sized bitter gourd – 6
• Oil – 4 tbs (more needed for panfrying)
• Large onion chopped – 1
• Roasted peanuts – 2 tbs
• Chilli powder – 1 tbs
• Cumin powder – 1 tsp
• Garam masala powder – 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
• Salt to taste

Method:

• Wash the bitter gourd and pat dry.
• Remove seeds from the bitter gourd by making slits. Set aside.
• Powder the roasted peanuts coarsely.
• Add spice powders and salt to peanut powder and mix well.
• Fill this masala powder inside the slit bitter gourd.
• Heat a pan.
• Add some oil.
• Place the filled bitter gourd in the pan and cook in slow heat on both sides until the vegetable turns soft and brown.
• Add the chopped onions to the same pan.
• Cover the lid and cook until the onions brown.
• Transfer to a dish and serve hot with rice!

Enriched with antioxidants, bitter gourd brings down the risk factors for many health conditions.

Bitter gourd is one of the healthiest vegetables which is full of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. It can be eaten as a vegetable, a pickle or had as a juice. There are many benefits from regular consumption of bitter gourd.

Bitter gourd has an effect similar to insulin (controls sugar). When patients have juice made from bitter gourd regularly, they need to regulate their medication accordingly. In fact, it can also help manage gestational diabetes. Skin and hair problems also improve with regular intake of bitter gourd.

As the name implies, bitter gourd is indeed slightly bitter but its benefits are plentiful!