Dum Ka Karela

Serves: Four
Time required: One hour 15 minutes plus baking time

INGREDIENTS:
12 bitter grounds (karelas)
Salt to taste
15 g ginger paste
15 g garlic paste
1 tsp (5 g) turmeric powder
Butter for basting and greasing.

For the filling:
150 g paneer, grated
60 g groundnuts
1 tbs (15 g) sesame seeds
15 g coconut
1 tsp (5 g) cummin seeds
2 (120 g) large onions
5 cm ginger, julienned
1 1/2 tsp (7 g) coriander powder
1 tsp (5 g) chilli powder
Salt to taste
2 tbs (30 ml) tamarind pulp
15 g jaggery, crushed

For the tempering:
3 tbs (45 ml) sesame oil
1/2 tsp (2 g) cummin seeds
1/2 tsp (2 g) mustard seeds
1/4 tsp (1 g) fenugreek seeds
24 curry leaves

METHOD:
- Wash and slit the bitter gourds on one side.
- Remove the seeds and rub with salt.
- Arrange on a tilting tray and keep aside for at least an hour. (Keep the bitter gourds overnight if you prefer them to be even less bitter).
- Put enough water in a pan.
- Add salt, ginger paste, garlic paste, and turmeric powder.
- Stir and bring to a boil.
- Add the bitter gourds and blanch them until soft.
- Drain and keep aside.

To prepare the filling:
- Remove the brown skin and roughly chop the coconut.
- Dry roast the coconut, groundnuts, sesame seeds and cummin seeds in a frying pan until each emits its unique aroma.
- Hold the onions with tongs and roast them directly over the flame until the skin is charred.
- Cool, peel and roughly chop the onions.
- Grind all these ingredients, except paneer, with 1/4th cup water to fine paste.
- Add paneer, ginger, jaggery, coriander powder and chilli powder to the paste and mix well.

To prepare the tempering:
- Heat oil in a frying pan and season with cummin seeds, mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds.
- Stir over medium heat until they begin to crackle.
- Add curry leaves and stir.
- Pour over the paste, mix well and divide into 12 equal portions.
- Put a portion of the filling into each of the blanched bitter gourds.
- Arrange them in a greased roasting tray with the slit side on top.
- Cover with foil. Punch a few holes in the foil and cook on dum in the pre-heated oven at 275oF for 30 minutes, basting at regular intervals.
- Remove and uncover.

To serve: Remove to a serving dish and serve with cummin-tempered whole potatoes and buttered seasonal vegetables on the side.