Kakora or Van Karela Fry ..( Kantola ki Sabji )

Hello Friends,
Namaskar....

I am Sangeeta Agrawal and heartily welcome you at my blog.

# Kakora ( Phagila ) is also called Van Karela because it is found in van ( jungles ) .
It is little similar to karela (bitter gourd ) in texture but the taste is quite different....
Kakora is neither bitter in taste nor takes much time in cooking.

#  Its curry is very delicious in taste.
It is full of fiber and anti - oxidants so it is very helpful in easy digestion. It also reduces blood sugar level in diabetic patients.

# prep  Time...5 minutes

# Cook Time....15 minutes

# Serving....3 or 4

# Ingredients For "Van Karela Fry."...

1. Kakore....300 gram
2. Oil.....4 table spoon
3. Asafoetida...1 pinch
4. Cumin seeds..1|2 tea spoon
5. Green chili....2 ( chopped or slit )
6. Grated ginger...1 inch
7. Turmeric powder...1 tea spoon
8. Coriander powder...1and 1|2 table spoon
9. Saunf powder....1 Table spoon ( fennel seeds )
10. Red chili powder....1|2 tea spoon
11. Amchur or khatai...1 tea spoon
12. Chopped coriander...1 table spoon
13. Salt to taste or 1 tea spoon

#  Procedure Of Making...

1. Wash the kakora well.
Don't need to scratch or peel the skin like bitter gourd.

2. Cut it into 2 parts.

3. Pressure cook it with 1 glass of water on the high flame till 1 whistle and 2 minutes more.
It will not take much time to be soft.
Check it by pressing with your finger.

4. Off the flame and drain out the hot water and place the boiled kakore on a strainer so that extra water could come out.

Then cut it again into 2 parts.

5. Heat a kadai with oil on the medium flame.

6. As the oil heats up, add asafoetida and cumin seeds to crackle.

7. Then add green chili and grated ginger and saute it for a minute only.

7. Then add.... turmeric powder, dhaniya powder, saunf powder in the oil.

8. Just mix the spices and add boiled van karela in the oil and stir it well by adding salt.

9. Fry it well upto 10 minutes with a minute interval....Till the oil starts separating from the kakora or you find the kadai smooth and clean while frying.

10. Now add red chili powder and amchur in the curry and mix it and again fry it for 2 minutes  more.

11. Just add chopped coriander and off the flame.

Now very Instant, tasty  and healthy " Van Karela Fry Curry" is ready to serve.

You can enjoy it with roti, puree, paratha or rice.

# Note...

1. You can make this curry even without boiling the kakore.
Just cut the kakore and add in the hot oil with spices and 2 table spoon water and cook till 15 minutes.

2. Add the red chili powder and amchur at the last cooking.....It enhances the fresh taste in less quantity.

3. You can press a little the boiled kakora with light hands for removing the extra water.

4. The proper frying enhances the taste of all dry curries...Without adding extra things....
Do fry it well till a nice golden brown on the slow medium flame.

Thanku Friends

Thanks Again.