Ucche bhaja / Stir fried Bitter gourd

 

As I type this, it is mid morning.
I can hear the aarti from the nearby mandir ... "tera tujhko arpan .... ".  Profound words. 
The sun is finally out ... to stay I hope.
The rains are on their way out ... bidding farewell with light drizzles once or twice in a day.
Under the soft, watchful  light of the sun.
There is already a chill in the clear air.
Waiting for Durga Puja ... the festival of festivals for the Bengalis.

After that spate of Ilish overload, the only vegetable photograph I found in my folders was that Palong shaak bhaja of the last last post.
And today I found this one ... a simple Karela fry or the Ucche bhaja.
Now I can make a post!

Nothing much to write home about.
Just a plain stir fry that accompanies almost every lunch, that is if it is not the Neem eating season ... read early spring.
Not that Neem is eaten regularly when in season. But this fry almost always finds a place in the begining of a lunch thala.
Bengalis start a meal, usually lunch ,with a bitter dish, you see.
There are different kinds of dryish dishes made with this simple Ucche or the Bitter gourd, also known as Karela in Hindi.
But this stir fry is most common.

A little potato to give it some body, plain fried in a little oil till done.

These days I don't have the mind to write much.
A complete block.
Sometimes I read my older posts and wonder if that was really I who had written them.
More so because I don't find any interaction on my blog anymore.

There seems to be a kind of lull.
I'd rather have a storm, thank you very much.

Anyway, here's a simple recipe.
Quiet. Almost contemplating.
Yet good.

 Need :

Ucche / Karela / Bitter gourd - 4 medium sized pieces, chopped
Potato - 1 medium sized , chopped
Haldi / Turmeric powder - ½ tsp
Red chilli powder ( optional ) - ½ tsp
Salt - to taste
Cooking oil - 1 tbsp ( I use Mustard oil )

How to :

Heat oil, in a heavy bottomed kadahi , till it is smoking hot.
Let in the potato pieces .... careful ... the oil will splutter.
Hold a cover ready with your other hand and cover them immediately.

Remove cover and stir fry for a while.
Then add the ucche and give a good toss or just stir well.
Add haldi powder and salt.

Cover and cook till the vegetables are done.
Remove cover and fry for a while.

Add the red chilli powder and fry for some more time ... like around a minute.
Remove from heat.

Serve on the side with steamed rice, dal and other accompaniments.

 

Take care all ... you who visit Kichu Khonn silently.
See you all around in my next post ... which will again be of the beautiful Ilish.
And which will be the last of my Ilish series for this year.

Enjoy!!