Karela Chips Indian styleare nice and crunchy and perfect as a snack or as a side dish with plain rice and dal. Homemade crispy bitter gourd chips fried to perfection are tasty and nutritious minus the bitterness.
Karela Chips
Karela (bitter gourd/ melon) helps lower blood sugar levels in diabetics. Bitter melon is an excellent blood purifier and is used to treat problems like acne.
The extremely bitter taste of karelas takes some getting used to. But you can tone down the bitterness by salting the karelas and leaving aside for 10 minutes to extract some of their bitterness. Then dipping them in a mixture of spices, gram flour and rice flour and deep-frying them can actually create savory and healthy snacks like bitter melon chips.
Health Benefits of Bitter Gourd (Karela):
Rich in Antioxidants: Bitter gourd is packed with antioxidants, which combat free radicals and reduce oxidative stress in the body.
Controls Blood Sugar: Known for its insulin-like properties, bitter gourd can help manage blood sugar levels, making it beneficial for people with diabetes.
Boosts Digestion: It promotes digestion and helps in cleansing the liver.
Enhances Immunity: Bitter gourd is rich in vitamins A, C, and E, boosting immunity and supporting skin health.
Karela Chips Recipe:
Bitter gourd, also known as karela, may have a distinct bitterness, but when transformed into chips, it’s an absolute game-changer. These crispy, flavor-packed Karela Chips not only satisfy your snack cravings but also bring numerous health benefits to the table. Perfect for health-conscious snackers or anyone looking to add a twist to their snack game, these chips offer a delicious and guilt-free way to enjoy the powerhouse vegetable of bitter gourd.
Crispy and delicious Karela Chips are full of the natural goodness of bitter melon. Golden-fried, crisp and delicious Bitter Melon Chips is a great way to make kids eat bitter melon.
To make karela chips, firstly wash the bitter gourds and pat dry. Slice off both ends and then cut the bitter gourds into thin rings and pat dry. (To reduce the bitterness, just sprinkle some salt over the sliced karelas and toss well. Leave aside for about 10 minutes, for the moisture to seep out. Then wash the karela slices and dry with paper towels).
Next mix together besan, rice flour, turmeric, red chilli powder, salt and hing in a bowl.
Now toss the karela slices in this dry mixture and coat well. (You can transfer the bitter melon slices into a Ziploc bag, sprinkle the dry mixture over the pieces and shake the bag well so that the slices are uniformly coated.)
Heat oil in a deep frying pan. Add the bitter gourd slices, a little at a time, and fry till they turn golden-brown and crispy on both sides.
Remove with a slotted spoon onto paper towels.
Serve crispy fried Karela Chips with Rice and Dal or munch on them as a snack.
If you are searching for more bitter gourd recipes, then do try out Karela Tikkis
Karela Chips Serving Suggestions:
Standalone Snack: Enjoy Karela Chips as a crunchy, savory snack between meals.
Side Dish: Pair with rice and dal for a crispy side addition to a traditional Indian meal.
Dips: Serve with a cool cucumber yogurt dip or a tangy mint chutney for added flavor contrast.
Karela Chips Variations:
Spicy Karela Chips: Add finely chopped green chilies or extra red chili powder to the batter for an extra kick.
Air-Fried Karela Chips: For a low-oil version, air fry the chips at 360°F (180°C) for 12-15 minutes until crispy.
Plain Salted Karela Chips: Skip the batter entirely and toss the sliced karela in salt and turmeric powder before frying for a lighter, simpler version.
Tips for Perfect Karela Chips:
Thin Slices: For maximum crispiness, slice the bitter gourd as thinly as possible.
Salt Treatment: Don’t skip the salt treatment; it significantly reduces the bitterness.
Uniform Coating: Ensure the slices are evenly coated with the batter for a consistent crunch.
Avoid Overcrowding: Whether frying or baking, arrange slices in a single layer to allow even cooking.
Fried Karela chips are super crunchy and very tasty. Indian Bitter Gourd Chips Deep-Fried and Crunchy ,is easy to make. Enjoy deliciously seasoned and crunchy karela fries.Karela Chips redefine the way we think about snacking on bitter gourd. With their delightful crunch and subtle bitterness, they make for a healthy and satisfying snack that's hard to resist. So next time you're in the mood for something crispy and healthy, give these Karela Chips a try—they’re sure to win you over, one bite at a time!
Course Side Dish, Snacks
Cuisine Tamil
Prep Time 10 minutesminutes
Cook Time 15 minutesminutes
Total Time 25 minutesminutes
Servings 3
Calories 69kcal
Author Shil
Ingredients
Karelas – 4,small
Chickpea Flour/Besan – 2 tbsp
Rice Flour – 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Chilli Powder – 1/8 tsp
Turmeric powder – 1/8 tsp
Asafoetida – a pinch
Oil for deep frying
Instructions
For this Indian bitter melon recipe, wash and slice fresh bitter melon into roundels. Pat dry.
In a mixing bowl, add chickpea flour, rice flour, chilli powder, salt, turmeric powder and asafoetida. Mix well and drop the karela slices into the mixture. Ensure the slices are well coated with the mixture.
Heat oil for deep frying in a pan. Drop the seasoned bitter gourd slices in small batches into the hot oil. Fry to a nice crispy brown. Remove with a slotted spoon onto a paper napkin.
Enjoy crunchy Indian Karela Chips with Rice and Dal or store them in an air-tight container and use within 2-3 days.
Notes
Other variations to the seasoning: You can add Sambhar powder, pepper powder, cornflour or crushed garlic.
To reduce the bitterness of karelas, put the bitter melon slices in a bowl and sprinkle some salt over them. Toss well and keep aside for 15 minutes. The salt tends to reduce the bitterness of the karelas and also helps remove the moisture. Squeeze out the moisture from the slices.
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