Recipes for Cook

BITTER GOURD CRISPS
I had these crispy bitter gourd pakoras in Pondicherry which my FIL bought from a nearby bajji shop. Instead of making pakoras, I tried to keep the bitter gourd slices whole using less flour and this came out crispy and tasty too. The bitterness of the bitter gourd was very less. I used only besan here to keep up its low-carb value (yeah I know it is a deep-fried dish, but at least the vegetable is a healthy one and the carb value is also less here). If needed some rice flour or whole purpose flour can also be added for additional taste.

INGREDIENTS:
Bitter gourd, medium-sized, 1.
Besan, 2 tablespoons.
Chili powder, 1 teaspoon.
Salt as per taste.
Baking soda, 1 pinch, (optional).
Oil, 1 cup.

PREPARATION:
Cut the bitter gourd into small thin slices. Take the sliced bitter gourd pieces in a basin and add besan, salt, chili powder, baking soda and mix everything well. A few drops of water can also be added if the mixture is too powdery. The besan should be wet enough to just coat the bitter gourd slices partially. Heat a cup of oil in a pot. When the oil is hot enough, add the bitter gourd slices one by one to the hot oil. The bitter gourd slices start coming up as they get cooked. When they turn golden-brown, remove the slices from the oil and drain them on a paper towel. They can be had as a side dish for rice or even as a snack by itself.