Karela chana dal curry - easy recipe with bitter melon

This karela chana dal sabzi is a quick and easy karela recipe that will make you fall in love with bitter melon. Ok, maybe not fall in love but you will be able to tolerate it more. Yes, karela is bitter and maybe it's hard to enjoy it on its own - but bitter gourd is truly a fascinating vegetable and once you learn how to cook delicious vegan dishes with it, you will really appreciate it! I hope this Pakistani-inspired recipe will help you incorporate more karela in your diet. It's really worth it as bitter gourd is a nutrient powerhouse and it has so many impressive health benefits. In this Indian / Pakistani recipe karela and chana dal are cooked in rich tomato onion garlic gravy and the bitterness of bitter gourd is balanced with chana dal and a lot of Indian spices. I hope after trying this vegan bitter melon recipe, you will be obsessed with this fascinating Asian vegetable, as much as I am!

I blame karela for everything...

I remember the 12th of October in 2013 like it was yesterday. I just arrived in Brighton, UK and I was so excited to embark on my another emmigrant adventure (it wasn't the first time I moved from Poland to UK). I was 25 at that time and honestly at that age you are so full of hope and ethusiasm and you truly feel like your whole life is ahead of you. You're ready for another adventure the Universe has planned for you. That's how I felt. I was so happy to arrive in Brighton as planned. I visited Brighton many years ago on my UK school trip and I remember how much I loved the city's hippie vibe, the North lanes area with all their cute artisan cafes and boho shops and, the most importantly, its lovely seafront. I always wanted to leave at the seaside and I remember at that time I said to myself: I want to live here.

Seven years later, I moved in to my dream city which also happenned to be the friendliest vegan city in UK, right after London. London was out of the question for me as I am not really into London's hectic lifestyle, insane costs of living, unreasonable distances and commute and don't even get me started on air pollution and spending half of your precious life in the underground...

I was a fresh vegan at that time and Brighton was full of veggie-boho weirdoes like myself and for the first time I felt like I finally belong somewhere. Things couldn't be more perfect. Until I discovered that stupid Taj The Grocer shop, that is...

Taj The Grocer - the coolest vegan spot in Brigthon with finest medijool dates and bitter melon or the city's snake nest?

As it's located on popular Western Road, right at the opposite of big Waitrose and just five minutes from the seafront, if you're in Brighton, sooner or later you'll end up in this huge Asian supermarket or should I say this shop will just find a way into your life - I can promise you that...I guess it was just meant to be for me.

I was a fresh vegan still trying to figure my new lifestyle out. At that time I was really into raw veganism, you know Freelee the Banana girl's lifestyle and all that stuff. 30 bananas a day? Who knows what I'm talking about? I was heavily influenced by Freelee and Durianrider's Youtube videos and my biggest dream in life was to permanently move to Thailand at some point so I can binge on jackfruit, durian, jackfruit and dragonfruit until I die.

Bitter melons and papayas bigger than my head...

So when I discovered Taj The Grocer supermarket I was sold... All things that would make me happy in one place! They had the biggest medijool dates I have ever seen. Those dates literally tasted like caramel and I was blown away as in Poland you can't even get cool stuff like that.

They had everything I was crazy about at that time: fresh jackfruit and dragonfruit, papayas bigger than my head, custard apples, fresh sugarcane pieces, guava, the biggest pomegranates and the biggest bunches of dill I have ever seen. They even had raw vegan crackers and they seemed to have the biggest selection of plant-based products in the city. Don't get me started on their deli counter with all those different varieties of olives and tabouli - I have never seen such huge olives in my entire life.

But you know what was my favourite section of the store? Their Asian veggie section. I was blown away. It was full of quirky Indian vegetables I never saw before in my life. I didn't recognize any of it and their strange names weren't exactly helping with identifying anything.

How karela (bitter melon) came to my life...

As a fresh vegan I considered that place the coolest place in the entire Brighton. I found myself coming back there over and over again but can you blame me, really? There were all these new products and fascinating Asian veggies I had to discover... What kind of a vegan was I? I considered myself a veggie expert and that stupid shop really proved me wrong and challenged me. So many Asian veggies I had no idea about...

Probably the coolest alien veggie in their Asian vegetables section was karela. It was hard not to stare at that one. It must have been the weirdest looking vegatable I've ever seen in my entire life... What is that quirky looking green oblong thing with all those green teeth and ridges on the surface? What a crazy texture...How do I eat it?

Fast forward few weeks later it really turned out I have no idea what I'm talking about when it comes to Asian vegetables. It turned out that that weird karela is actually a fruit, not a vegetable... And fast forward few more weeks, I was working in that stupidly amazing supermarket at the checkout counter... It was cool to become an expert on all those (not so exotic anymore) veggies. I couldn't be happier.

That supermarket was massive with like ten tills and all my fun checkout work colleageus / bffs were definitely the highlight of my six months working there. We had too much fun chatting at the checkout and helping each other with checkout codes for all those quirky vegetables. Soon every worker in the shop had their quirky Asian veg or fruit nickname and we used those as our special code to mostly complain about the shop's obnoxious managament...

That shop was owned by a fiflthy rich Pakistani family and probably because of this 80% of the numerous shop's staff was Pakistani... Only checkout girls were mostly fresh European emmigrants. It was relatively easy to get a job as a checkout assistant there . Basically they were always hiring as checkout girls were quickly running away because of the obnoxious managament. Taj The Grocer may have been a great place to shop (very expensive though) but it wasn't exactly the friendliest workplace which I soon learnt will all my checkout sisters. I wish someone had warned us about what we're getting ourselves too...

Nevertheless, we tried to make the best of our time there... We chose a veg name for our floor manager with great consideration. We called him Baby cucumber. This name couldn't be more perfect as that guy was literally 5 feet tall and he was always running around the shop like a monkey with rabies, working 80h+ a week. He was basically the owner's slave and he thought he won a lottery with his job. What a sad case. We called the owner Celeriac, because let's face it - everyone hates celeriac. It's absolutely vile. It tastes disgusting and you can't make anything with it.

Before I started working in Taj The Grocer I didn't know that much about Pakistan - please excuse my ignorance. I was very excited to realize that Pakistani food and culture can be very similar (sometimes identical) to India's cuisine and traditions as Pakistan and India used to be one country. But of course I don't want to offend anyone with my unfair generalisation. It's a similar case to people saying that Poland and, let's say, Slovakia have the same food and culture . Depends how we want to look at it but all I'm saying I was excited to learn that Pakistanis enjoy they chana masala as much as Indian people do. It was nice to learn about all similarities and little differences.

Anyway, isn't it crazy sometimes how one stupid decision to start working in your favourite Pakistani supermarket can completely uproot your life? Had you told me eight years ago that I will end up being married to a Pakistani immigrant I would have assumed you have completely lost your mind 🙂

Back to this bitter melon recipe...

Ok enough of these deranged, divorced woman's ramblings.I need to work on the length of my backstory paragraphs - I am aware of this issue.

So what is this quirky alien looking veggie, exactly?

What is karela?

• Karela — also known as bitter gourd or bitter melon — is a tropical vine that belongs to the gourd family and is closely related to courgette, pumpkin, squash and cucumber. Yes, that's right, karela is actually a fruit , not a vegetable! It's a melon! A very bitter one.

• Bitter melon is cultivated around he world for its edible fruit, which is considered a staple "vegetable" in many Asian cuisines: Chinese, Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Burmese, Japanese, Indonesian, Thai, Vietnamese and Filipino.

• Karela is generally consumed cooked in the green or early yellowing stage. It is very bitter raw but there are a few preparation hacks that can help reduce the bitter taste a little bit.

• Bitter gourd comes in a variety of shapes and sizes. The Chinese variety is long, pale green, and it's covered with bumps whereas the Indian variety of bitter melon has a deep green colour and a thinner shape with pointed ends, and an interesting surface covered with triangular little "teeth" and ridges. If you don't find that vegetable (sorry! - I meant to say fruit) fascinating then I guess nothing can amaze you in life.

• In addition to its distinctive flavour and fascinating appearance, karela has been appreciated for quite a few impressive health benefits.

Health benefits of karela:

• Karela is a nutrient powerhouse - it's high in iron, calcium, magnesium and potassium. It's also a great source of dietary fibre. Bitter gourd also contains twice the amounts of calcium available in spinach or broccoli. It is also an amazing source of Vitamins B1, B2, B3 and These are so gorgeous and Vitamin C.
• Bitter melon is believed to lower blood sugar - karela has a compound that functions similar to insulin and in Asia a glass of freshly pressed karela juice is considered natural remedy effectively lowering your blood sugar. Who's brave enough to give this amazing, energising drink a go?
• It's a powerful blood purifier as it's high in antioxidants.
• A glass of freshly pressed karela juice is also considered to be a beneficial liver tonic and detoxifier

This by all means is not medical advice, please don't accuse me of quackery. All I'm saying is this quirky veg doesn't just look cool. It's worth looking into things. I'm not challenging you to have a glass of freshly pressed karela juice every day (I'm not that brave either) but you could start from trying this karela recipe and hopefully you will hate this alien vegetable a bit less 😉 I know bitter gourd is many people's biggest childhood trauma but trust me, you can grow to love it! I'm certainly fascinated with it.

Other names of karela (it's also known as):

• bitter melon
• bitter gourd
• momordica charantia
• balsam apple
• balsam pear
• bitter apple
• lakwa
• margose
• wild cucumber
• bitter cucumber

Where can I find bitter gourd? I have never seen karela in any supermarket.

• I know that if you never heard of karela before it may seem that it's the weirdest and rarest vegetable (sorry! I've done it again! Meant to say fruit!) in the world and that it's impossible to find. But once you realise such a thing exists - trust me -it will just come to you. Ok, you will not be able find it in your local Tesco, but you'll be definitely able to spot it in South Asian and African grocers and Chinese supermarkets.

• I recently learnt that they are even available in Poland, my home country. I honestly considered Poland the last place on earth where you would be able to find bitter gourd but there we are. So these quirky alien veggies things are definitely more common than you think.

• For this bitter gourd recipe, try to choose young unblemished and firm karela fruits that have a dark green colour and don't have bruises or dents. Young fruits of bitter melon taste best as mature and softer ones are much more bitter in taste and they lose their crunch (also: seeds in older karela fruits will turn red and that will mean your karela will be extremely bitter - not very enjoyable...).

Why you will love (or hate) this bitter melon recipe:

Haha. If you already hate karela because of your bitter gourd childhood trauma, then I am not sure if I can help you. Maybe you should try to make this dudhi chana dal curry instead.

If you are an open-minded veggie-lover always curious to try new foods, then this bitter gourd recipe is definitely for you! Yes, karela is very bitter but all you have to do it is learn how to prepare it the right way, to reduce its bitter taste and you need a good recipe that balances the bitter karela taste with spices and other ingredients. I think this bitter gourd curry manages that quite well so do give it a go! In this recipe karela - chana dal ratio is about 30% - 70% so this is a great recipe for bitter gourd beginners.

I am sorry if you didn't have a good experience with this Indian veggie in the past! I hope you can give it another chance considering its amazing health benefits and a brand new culinary experience bitter melon can offer!

Ingredients you will need:

• chana dal
• karela (bitter gourd)
• onions
• tomatoes
• garlic cloves
• fresh ginger
• coriander powder
• coriander seeds
• cumin powder
• turmeric powder
• cloves
• black peppercorns
• chilli powder
• cinnamon stick (dalchini) or cinnamon powder
• green chillies
• dry fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi)
• garam masala powder
• Himalayan salt
• fresh coriander, finely chopped
• To garnish:
• more fresh coriander, finely chopped
• red chilli flakes
• fresh ginger, julienned

How to cut and prepare karela:

• First wash your beautiful bitter melons thoroughly and then pat them dry.
• Cut the "tails" off.

• Scrape off just a bit of karela's skin with a potato peeler (just a tiny bit to get rid of any dodgy bits and blemishes).

• Now cut each bitter gourd fruit in half lengthwise and then scoop out seeds and spongy core either with a spoon or your fingers.

• Now cut the bitter gourd halves into thin half-moons (as you can see in the photo).
• Now all you have to do is sprinkle your karela slices with generous amount of salt, mix well and set them aside for about half an hour. Do not skip this step. The salt will make the bitter gourd ooze a lot of liquid which will get rid of its bitter taste to some extent.
• After 30 minutes, squeeze the juice out, rinse your karela and set aside. It's ready to cook!

How to make this easy karela chana dal curry, step by step:

• Preparation: soak chana dal for at least an hour. Rinse thoroughly two to three times.
• Prepare karela (scroll up for photos and instructions on how to clean and cut karela). Set cut karela aside for 20-30 minutes. Sprinkle it with a generous amount of salt so it releases liquid. This preparation will make it taste less bitter. 
• Cook chana dal on low flame for about 20-25 minutes, until cooked through but not mushy (good to know: you can add 1/3 tsp bicarbonate soda to the chana dal so it cooks a bit faster). Drain and rinse in cold water. Set aside.
• Dice onions and tomatoes. Crush ginger and garlic.
• Sauté onions, ginger and garlic and all spices (apart from dry fenugreek leaves and garam masala powder which you will at in the end) in a bit of olive oil for 5 minutes.

• Add chopped tomatoes and sauté for a few minutes, until tomatoes melt.
• Add cooked chana dal and 1 cup of water to the sauce and cook on low heat for 5 minutes. 

• Rinse karela thorougly and add it to the pot.
• Add 3 cups of water (or more) so the sauce covers everything. . Cook on a low light for 12 minutes or so, until karela is nearly cooked. Stir occasionally but not too much. Add dried methi leaves, garam masala powder and two handfuls of chopped fresh coriander and simmer for few more minutes.

• It’s ready! Serve garnished with fresh chopped coriander, chilli flakes and julienned fresh ginger. Tastes great with basmati rice and wholewheat rotis. Serve with a selection of pickles, always! I always have a jar of lime, aubergine and chilli pickle in my fridge. Btw, have you tried karela pickle? Thoughts?

For the full ingredient list, exact measurements, complete recipe method, please scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom.

This bitter melon recipe is:

• 100% vegan (it's eggless and dairy-free)
• gluten-free
• quick and easy to make
• a healthy and wholesome dinner
• a nutritious, high in plant-based protein meal
• something completely different
• a great speedy mid-week dinner idea
• perfect for Indian food lovers
• great for adventurous foodies who like trying new veggies and recipes
• suitable for freezing

Serving suggestions:

This bitter gourd chana dal curry will taste amazing served over cumin pea basmati rice or with wholesome rotis or chapatis. Serve with a selection of pickles, always! By the way, any fans of karela pickle here?

Any leftovers?

Leftovers will keep in the fridge in an airtight container for 2-3 days. This bitter gourd chana dal curry is also suitable for freezing.

Other vegan curry recipes you might enjoy:

Eddoe lentil curry - eddoes are another favourite Asian vegetable of mine. Try this quick and easy curry with eddoes and red lentils - you won't be disappointed!

Dudhi chana dal curry - lauki (bottle gourd) chana dal curry is by far the best recipe that could introduce you to this amazing Indian vegetable.

Vegan keema - vegan mince curry. Finally, nowadays thanks to so many amazing vegan mince alternatives available on the market, vegans get to enjoy this popular Indian classic, cruelty-free!

Aloo palak - spinach potato curry. How to convert spinach haters to worshipping spinach.

Chickpea tikka masala - a cruel-free version of a popular restaurant dish - chicken tikka masala. Yes, vegans add chickpeas to everything.

Beetroot curry - what a great way to enjoy beetroot. If you're obsessed with beets and if you love curry, you're going to love this recipe!

If you give this bitter gourd recipe a go, tag me on Instagram with your recreations and comment with your feedback below! Can’t wait to see how your karela chana dal curry turned out! I’ll share my favourite recreations in my Insta stories!

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