Keema karela or minced meat with bitter gourd curry is a Pakistani style combination dish for those who want to enjoy karela or bitter gourd without tongue shocking bitterness that comes with this green veggie. Karela is a green vegetable from south east Asia that tastes very bitter but it is good for health. It is also called bitter melon and paria in Indonesia. For centuries bitter melon or karela has been used in traditional Chinese medicine as well as ayurvedic medicine. Now several scientific studies also shown its effectiveness on blood sugar due to a chemical in it that acts much like insulin. Also it is said that it aids in digestion, fight inflammation and promote detoxing and cleansing.
Pakistani recipe of keema karela involves mixing this veggie with minced meat and you will find mild bitterness of karela as well. Below is the detailed recipe of keema karela with complete steps and video for your ease. Do give it a try and I am sure you will feel the difference in taste after trying it.
Peel bitter gourd with knife, deseed and cut into small pieces.
Add salt over these cut bitter gourd and mix well. Let it rest for 30 minutes to 1 hour then wash thoroughly 2-3 times.
Squeeze properly to remove excess water and keep it aside.
In a wok add cooking oil and fry bitter gourd over medium to low flame until light golden. Take out after frying and keep aside.
Now in the wok add cooking oil and sliced onion in it, fry till the onion changes its color to light golden.
Add ginger garlic paste and fry for few seconds.
Now add keema (minced meat) and fry it for 5-10 minutes or till it changes its color.
Add salt, red chilli powder, turmeric, cumin powder and coriander powder and mix well.
Now add chopped tomatoes and combine well.
Add some water to fry the masala, cover the pot for 4-5 minutes and let the tomatoes get completely soft and cooked.
Uncover the pot and fry the keema for 2-3 minutes more.
Then add yogurt in it. Remember the flame should be low when you add yogurt in the mince. Combine well.
When water from yogurt dries out and oil separates add water in the mince, give a mix, cover the pot and let the mince cook over low flame for 10-15 minutes.
Then fry on high flame if any water remain till the oil separates.
Add fried bitter gourd in this keema and combine well.
Add garam masala powder and mix well.
Add some water if you want to make keema karela thinner, cover the pot and simmer it for 5 minutes more.
Easy and delicious Pakistani style Qeema karela is ready to enjoy with roti or naan.
