Bharela karela is delicious Gujarati dish made with bittergourd stuffed with a spiced coconut masala. It is the Gujarati version of the North Indian Bharwa Karela.
In Gujarati cuisine, stuffed vegetable dishes—known as bharela shaak—are the ultimate comfort food and are typically made when seasonal produce is at its best.
Dishes such as bharela bhinda (stuffed okra) or bharela ravaiya (baby aubergine) or bharela karela nu shaak are cooked on rotation.
My Mum prepares these with her go-to Gujarati bharwan masala—a fragrant, sweet and spicy mix of fresh coconut, crushed peanuts, coriander, and warming spices. It’s a versatile stuffing that adds depth and balance, especially to the sharp bitterness of karela.
You can also prepare karela aloo with potatoes and basic spices.
Ingredients
Be sure to check out the full recipe and exact ingredient list below in the recipe card.
Bitter gourd - Karela
Oil
Coriander - fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped.
Coconut - desiccated coconut or fresh shredded coconut works fine too.
Spices - red chilli powder, turmeric powder, cumin and coriander powder and garam masala.
Sugar - alternatively use jaggery or dark brown sugar.
Amchoor powder or lemon juice.
Sesame seeds.
Salt.
Serving Suggestion
Serve bharwan karela as part of a Gujarati thali with Gujarati rotli, Gujarati dal and boiled basmati rice.
It also goes well with Gujarati kadhi and mag nu shaak.
Storage
This recipe is best eaten fresh however it can be stored for later.
Store leftover bharela karela in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or in the pan.
I do not recommend freezing this recipe as the bitter gourd will loose texture upon defrosting.
As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!
Don’t forget to follow me on social media using the buttons below – I can't wait to see you all there!
📖 Recipe
Bharwa Karela (Stuffed Bitter Gourd)
Equipment
- Peeler knife
- pan or kadai
Ingredients
- 7 medium bitter gourd karela
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoon oil
Stuffing
- 5 tablespoon desiccated coconut
- 10 tablespoon fresh coriander chopped
- 2 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 2 tablespoon red chilli powder
- 1 tablespoon turmeric powder
- 4 tablespoon coriander and cumin powder combined
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 4 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon amchoor powder
- 2 tablespoon cashew nuts chopped optional
- 3 tablespoon oil
- 1 tablespoon salt
Instructions
Prepare Karela for Stuffing
- Peel only the tough skin of the karela and wash thoroughly. Cut them in half if too big.
- Make a slit for stuffing but do not slit all the way. Keep the karela intact on the other side.
- Rub with a little salt and add to the boiling water, boil for 10-12 minutes or until just done.
- Once the karela are just tender, drain the water and let them cool for 5 minutes then pat dry using clean kitchen paper.
- Set aside.
Stuffing
- In a mixing bowl add all the other stuffing ingredients and mix well.
- Take a spoon of bharwan masala, and stuff into the karela. Do not over stuff otherwise karela will break.
- Once all the karela are stuffed, heat 4 tablespoon oil in a heavy bottom pan and slowly add karela one by one.
- Cook karela on very low heat with a lid to cover. They will cook in the steam.
- Every 3-4 minutes keep turning to prevent burning. If needed add a couple of tablespoons of water.
- Sprinkle the leftover stuffing masala (if any left) 0n half cooked karela.
- Karela should be done in 20-22 minutes. They should not get burnt, but colour should be dark brown.
- Turn off the heat. Transfer karela in serving plate, garnish with coriander and coconut if you wish.
Video
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
Share on Facebook Pin This Recipe Share by TextNote – This recipe has been updated from our recipe archives with a new, improved recipe, new images and content. First published in September 2012.
Hayley Dhanecha says
This is my favourite summer recipe for bharwa karela! We like to enjoy with thin Gujarati rotlis, dal and bhaat.
Mina Joshi says
Karela nu shak looks delicious. LOvely dish. Love the variation in your filling.
divya says
tht's looks so tempting ...yum
Shobha says
Karelas look very tasty.. as you said here, even I never eat karelas and tindas when I was young..and now I wish to eat but I don't find them in this part of the world..