Cooking Tips: Ways To Reduce The Bitterness of Bitter Gourd In Your Cooking

Bitter gourd, also known as Karela, is a nutritious vegetable packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. However, its intense bitterness can be off-putting to some taste buds. But, there are several easy methods that you can use to reduce the bitterness and make bitter gourd a delicious addition to your meals. Here’s how to reduce bitterness while cooking bitter gourd:

1. Choose The Right Bitter Gourd

When selecting bitter gourds, opt for smaller ones with firm, unblemished skin. Smaller bitter gourds tend to be less bitter than larger ones. Look for ones with a vibrant green colour and without any signs of yellowing or soft spots.

2. Preparing Bitter Gourd

i) Slice and Salt Marination

Start by slicing the bitter gourd lengthwise and remove the seeds and pith. These are the parts of the vegetable that contribute most to its bitterness. Once done, remove the seeds and outer skin of the bitter gourd. Then, generously sprinkle salt over the gourd and rub it thoroughly. Repeat this process with all the bitter gourds. Place them in a bowl and let them sit for 30 minutes. After that, wash the gourds and pat them dry. They are now ready to be cooked.

ii) Rinse Thoroughly

After the desalting process, rinse the bitter gourd slices under cold running water to remove the salt along with the bitter juices. Be sure to rinse them well to ensure no excess salt remains.

3. Cooking Methods To Reduce Bitterness

1. Blanching

Bring a pot of water to a boil and add the bitter gourd slices. Allow them to blanch for 2-3 minutes, then remove and immediately transfer them to a bowl of cold water then drain and it is ready to use. Blanching helps to soften the bitterness of the bitter gourd while retaining its nutrients.

2. Adding Some Sugar

Adding sugar (you can also use jaggery) to a bitter gourd dish just before removing it from the heat is an effective way to reduce its bitterness. However, be sure to add the sweetener in the right amount, as too much can alter the dish's natural flavour.

Don't miss:Here Are 10 Quick Fix Cooking Tips For Working Women

3. Removing Seeds From Bitter Gourd

The outer surface of the bitter gourd is much more bitter than the rest of the vegetable. To reduce this bitterness, you can scrape off the rough surface and then use a peeler to smooth the outer layer. This process of removing the rugged surface removes a significant amount of the bitterness. Then you can remove the seeds of bitter gourd before cooking as this reduces the bitterness.

Don't miss:Cleaning Hacks: Easy Tips And Tricks To Clean Your Kitchen With Lemon

4. Add Some Lemon Juice

Next is adding some lemon juice. Sour and acidic tastes naturally counteract bitterness. To neutralise bitter flavours while cooking bitter gourd, try adding a squeeze of lemon juice, a bit of tamarind, or a spoonful of vinegar.

Herzindagi.comis Jagran New Media's gender and lifestyle vertical, catering to women of all age groups, helping them remain updated, on-trend and aware. To improve our performance and understand our readers' interests better, we have created this poll. This will take 2 minutes of your time, do help us out with thislink.

For more such stories, stay tuned to HerZindagi.

Image credit: Freepik