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    Home » Indian recipes » Curries and Lentils

    air fryer karela fry | air fried bittermelon |air fried ampalaya

    9th July 2022 by bhavana bhatia 2 Comments

    54 shares
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    Bitter melon or bitter gourd is known by many names. Karela(Hindi) or kakarkaya (Telugu). It is something which you either love or get totally put off by. I took my time to like this curry but now I m hooked to it. It can be pan fried or you can make as karela chips.

    Air fryer bittermelon is best served with a yellow dal or plain kadhi. Trust me, if you want to eat sweet all life, learn to appreciate, the bitter. Air fried karela fry is an easy sides with roti even when you travel. It stays longer especially when you want to avoid food cooked outside and have to travel long distances. This curry along with fried okra were always in our tiffin when we went by train.

    Long journey, no takeaways life was quite different & simpler then. As kids we would avoid bitter gourd and so okra was for us , while mum would munch away the fried karela and stuffed karela leaving us in awe. How can someone eat something so bitter? Now, that we have grown up, we travel lesser by train and eat less fried, yet we always make both bitter gourd and okra in our air fryer, appreciating both the veggies. Learn to make this easy curry here. Other Indian recipes that you can make in the air fryer include air fryer tindora, air fryer anardana , air fryer bharwa baigan & air fryer nankhatai.

    af karela
    Jump to:
    • How to make karela fry in air fryer? (recipe video)
    • Ingredients
    • Related links
    • Step by step instructions
    • Bitter gourd fry recipe

    How to make karela fry in air fryer? (recipe video)

    Equipment

    • air fryer
    • mixing bowl
    • oil spray

    Ingredients

    • bitter melon/ bitter gourd
    • oil
    • salt as per taste

    refer to recipe card for details.

    Related links

    • Air fried veg cutlets | Air fryer railway cutlets
    • Air fryer frozen chips | How to cook frozen fries in air fryer
    • Cauliflower steak in air fryer
    • Air fryer potato wedges | Moroccan seasoned potato wedges
    • Air fryer mixed vegetables | Indian Mix vegetable curry
    • roasted vegetables in air fryer

    Step by step instructions

    1. Cut the bitter melon,Toss with oil.
    air fryer ampalaya step 1

    2. Preheat the air fryer for 5 mins at 160 C| 320 F and place the bittermelon in the basket.

    af karela 2

    3. Air fry it for 19-20 mins at 160 C| 320 F.

    af karela 3

    4. Toss oil and continue to cook for a further 10-15 minutes more at 160C|320F. . Total cook time of 30-35 minutes @160C|320F.Depending on the thicknes, this will take few more minutes

    af karela 4

    Enjoy these as crispy sides.

    af karela
    Print Recipe
    5 from 5 votes

    Bitter gourd fry recipe

    air fryer Bitter gourd curry is an easy dish for lunch when you learn to appreciate the bitter too. You can pair karela fry with rice or roti for a quick meal. Learn to make it here
    Prep Time10 minutes mins
    Cook Time35 minutes mins
    Total Time45 minutes mins
    Course: Curries and Lentils
    Cuisine: Indian
    Keyword: air fried kakarkaya, air fried karela fry, air fryer bitter gourd fry, air fryer karela
    Servings: 2
    Author: bhavana bhatia

    Equipment

    • Air fryer
    • Food processor
    • Mixing bowl

    Ingredients

    • 500 gm bittermelon bitter gourd / karela
    • 2 tbsp. oil
    • salt as per taste

    Instructions

    • Toss the bitter melon with 1 tablespoon oil.
    • Preheat the air fryer for 5 mins at 160 C| 320 F and place the bittermelon in the basket.
    • Air fry it for 19 -20 mins at 160 C | 320 F.
    • Toss oil and continue to cook at 160 C|320 F.total cook time of 30-35 minutes or more depending on the bitter melon slices.
    • Serve as a side
    • Optionally you can add this air fried bitter melon to a onion and tomato curry,mix for few minutes and serve

    Video

    Notes

    We like the bitterness in the bittergourd karela and so have not removed the skin, you can remove the skin if you like.
    You can add other spices like Amchur(raw mango powder) ,garam masala etc.

    Substitution & variation

    You can use frozen ampalaya instead of raw. Cooking time might vary slightly. It may not be as crispy though as it already has higher water content in it.

    2. You can also make stuffed bitter gourd i.e. karela, follow the recipe of stuffed karela.

    3. Once the karela is air fried, you can also add these to a curry of tomatoes and onions to make curry that is not too bitter . Refer to out recipe of onion and tomato curry.

    air fryer karela variation

    Serve this with Roti/Rice

    karela af curry

    Storage

    Store this for 2-4 days in refrigerator.If you are looking to choose a safe air fryer , read our detailed article on choosing a safe air fryer.

    Food safety

    Always reheat the left overs.If you are looking to choose a safe air fryer , read our detailed article on choosing a safe air fryer.

    FAQ

    What are the benefits of bitter melon?

    It is a great source of vitamin C.

    Is ampalaya good for the heart?

    It helps reduce bad cholesterol, thereby reducing risk of heart disease.

    More Curries and Lentils

    • baingan bharta in airfryer
      Baingan ka Bharta | Air fryer baingan bharta
    • air fryer stuffed peppers
      Air Fryer Vegan Stuffed Bell Peppers
    • paneer kofta in airfryer
      easy Aloo paneer kofta | Air fryer paneer kofta curry
    • vegetable korma
      Veg korma recipe | Vegan korma
    54 shares

    Comments

    1. Saket says

      April 12, 2023 at 9:33 am

      5 stars
      Super quick and healthy.

      thanks for sharing second Recipe. I loved it .

      Reply
      • bhavana bhatia says

        April 26, 2023 at 10:08 am

        Thank you so much for your feedback.

        Reply
    5 from 5 votes (4 ratings without comment)

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    Recipe Rating




    Hi,I am Bhavana & this is my wonderland of recipes.I have been in IT for 15+ years have always loved writing.My husband Gaurav & I,love to cook, click & host people

    More about me →

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