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    Home » Air fryer recipes

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

    Jul 9, 2022 · Leave a Comment

    Jump to Recipe

    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.

    karela sabzi
    Jump to:
    • Equipment
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Substitution
    • Variation
    • Storage
    • Food safety
    • Related links
    • Bitter gourd fry recipe
    • FAQ

    Equipment

    • air fryer
    • mixing bowl
    • oil spray

    Ingredients

    • bitter melon/ bitter gourd
    • onions
    • ginger- garlic- green chili
    • oil
    • turmeric powder
    • red chili powder / paprika
    • salt as per taste

    Instructions

    1. Cut the bitter melon and soak in water with salt for 1 hour or more. Drain the bittermelon after soaking it in salt water.Toss with oil.
    air fryer ampalaya step 1

    2. Preheat the air fryer for 10 mins at 160 C| 320 F and place the bittermelon in the basket.

    air fried ampalaya step 2

    3. In a mixing bowl, add sliced onions, chillies along with salt

    air fried ampalaya step 3

    4. Air fry it for 9 -10 mins at 160 C| 320 F.

    air fried ampalaya step 4

    5. Add the air fried bittermelon to onions and spices in the mixing bowl. Mix paprika, turmeric powder and salt. If you do not have these, add curry powder with salt instead.

    air fried ampalaya step 5

    6. Now, air fry the veggies again for 13-14 mins at 160 C|320 F.

    air fried ampalaya step 6

    7. Serve hot with rice or roti.

    Substitution

    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.

    Variation

    You can add air fried potatoes to this above curry to make your own version of air fryer bhindi aloo.

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

    Storage

    Store this for 2-4 days in refrigerator.

    Food safety

    Always reheat the left overs.

    Related links

    • Air fried veg cutlets | Air fryer railway cutlets
    • Air fryer frozen chips | How to cook frozen fries in air fryer
    • Air fryer potato wedges | Moroccan seasoned potato wedges
    • Air fryer mixed vegetables | Indian Mix vegetable curry
    • air fryer roasted vegetables
    • Cauliflower steak in air fryer
    karela sabzi
    Print Recipe
    5 from 2 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 Time1 hr 10 mins
    Cook Time24 mins
    Total Time34 mins
    Course: Curries and Lentils
    Cuisine: Indian
    Keyword: air fried bittermelon curry, 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
    • 1 green chilli chopped
    • 2 medium onions small or 1 medium , sliced
    • 1 teaspoon red chilli powder /paprika as per taste
    • ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
    • salt as per taste

    Instructions

    • Cut the bitter melon and soak in water with salt for 1 hour or more. Drain the bitter melon after soaking it in salt water.Toss with 1 tablespoon oil.
    • Preheat the air fryer for 10 mins at 160 C| 320 F and place the bittermelon in the basket.
    • In a mixing bowl, add sliced onions, chillies along with salt
    • Air fry it for 9 -10 mins at 160 C| 320 F.
    • Add the air fried bittermelon to onions and spices in the mixing bowl. Mix paprika, turmeric powder and salt. If you do not have these, add curry powder with salt instead.
    • Now, air fry the veggies again for 13-14 mins at 160 C|320 F.
    • Serve hot with rice or roti.

    Notes

    We like the bitterness in the bittergourd karela and so have not removed the skin, you can remove the skin if you like.
    The end result is not super crispy like chips but crisp enough to be enjoyed with Rice/Roti.
    You can add other spices like Amchur(raw mango powder) ,garam masala etc.

    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.

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    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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