Friday, May 29, 2009

CHICKEN KARELA (BITTER GOURD) KEBAB


The other day I received some Kebab from my Pakistani neighbor. The taste was very different from any other. The little bitter taste typical to Karela, and absence of usual onion, garlic and spice aroma make it so typical! I got the recipe from her and made little variation on popular demand from the Cavia porcellus (guinea pigs, the food tasters for new dishes). But I personally will use the traditional recipe which is slightly more bitter and have the boiled Karela flavor.


INGREDIENT


500 gms Karela (bitter gourd)500 gms minced chicken
  1. 1 egg
  2. 1 tsp coarse and freshly ground black pepper.
  3. 1 tsp red chili powder ( optional)
  4. 1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves.
  5. Salt
  6. Oil for sallow frying
  7. Bread crumb ( quantity will depend on the consistency of the mix)
  8. 1 tbsp finely chopped green chili
PROCEDURE
Cut Karela 5 mm thick circular pieces, put salt and mix. Keep aside for 15 minutes. squeeze out the water and re-wash with fresh water 3 times.Boil the Karela, remove from water, cool and squeeze out water and mash it with hand. (or slow coarse grinding)
Boil minced chicken with salt, remove, squeeze out water.
Mix the Karela, meat, chili, coriander leaves, chili powder,pepper , salt.





Put the egg and mixAdd bread crumb a little at a time to a consistency so that it can be just shaped into flat round Kebabs.




Refrigerate for 30 min if required to keep shape.
Shallow fry both side and serve.




VARIATION
Take one to two tbsp oil in a non stick frying pan, stir fry the mashed karela for 5 minutes without over frying. Stop, when aroma of light fried Karela emerges..
Proceed as above.

NOTE: This variation was tried on request and it is good. But I will prefer you to try the main method and then apply as many variations as you want.


6 comments:

Unknown said...

i like the concept of Fast Dahi Vada. Shall take the chef's word that it still tastes delicious.

The Karala Chicken Kabab seems to be a very unusual fusion. Still, all great food have been created by experiment r by accident.

prasu said...

Wow......this is unquie rcipe.....totally new...is it an experimentation?

Ushnish Ghosh said...

Dear Prasu
Many thanks for visiting my blog.
It is not an experimentation. This is quite known and popular in Lahore area (Pakistan). When I was in Kuwait, my Pakistani neighbor taught me. In fact she had tasted and approved. ( ha ha , like passing in an exam)
If you love Karela taste, then only try it, else it is not worth the efforts. You can try few dishes that I post here.
By the way, your blog site is fantastic. I was looking for an authentic Andhra recipe site and now I got it.
You have a big library. 1st thing, I am looking for is "Pesaratu"( Is the spelling correct?). If it is not there already, I will request you to post one.
When I cook some of your dishes I will infrom you.
Regards

Ushnish Ghosh said...

Dear Prasu

Thanks
I got the pesarattu recipe from your blog. Actually I could not type the correct spelling on your search window.
The comment window is no longer there so I am writing from here
Hope I will be able to make it

Regards

Pavithra Elangovan said...

Oh wow karela kebab sounds really innovative and interesting.. wish i could try soon. I love karela in any form this kebab looks mouthwatering. First time to your space really enjoyed browsing thru different dishes.. will be back often.

Ushnish Ghosh said...

Dear Pavithra
( I have deleted my earlier response, I read an wrote your name wrongly)
Many thanks for visiting my site. Try it out. Some of my friends in India said before even eating "It is wastage of Karela and chicken and they would prefer to eat these separately."Ha ha
I just dropped at your site briefly and it is a real Gold ...err I mean recipe mine...
Keep visiting and happy Deepabali