Baked Kerala

Baked Kerala ki Sabji:

This might sound funny but it turns out to be a new favorite of mine and I am sure once you try it, you will love it as well.

Ingredients: (Serves 4)
4-6 Kerala (bitter gourd)
2 big spoons of saunf (fennel seeds)
2 big spoons of ajwain
2 big spoons of dhania powder
1 spoon of lal mirchi or chilly powder
3-5 green chilies (slit in half)
11/2 spoon of amchur powder
1 tsp jeera powder
1 spoon haldi powder
1 large onion – roughly sliced.
2 table spoons of olive oil (or any cooking oil preferred by you)
Salt according to taste.

Baking tray to bake the Kerala’s

Recipe:
• Thinly slice the Kerala into rounds (keep the skins on). If you don’t like the skin you can peel the skin off with the peeler and then cut them into thin rounds.
• Put the Kerala’s in a bowl full of Luke warm water and add 1 spoon of salt to it so that the bitterness of the Kerala can be lessened. Let them rest in water for 30 mins.
• Drain the Kerala completely so that there is no water left and slightly press them between your palms to remove any excess water and place it in a mixing bowl.
• Mix all the dry ingredients together i.e. dhania powder, haldi, amchur, jeera, lal mirchi, haldi and salt. (be careful in adding salt at this point as we had already added salt to the water in which we had rinsed the Kerala into).
• Add all the dry ingredients to the bowl and then add the roundly cut Kerala to it. Add ajwain and saunf to it and also add 1 spoon to oil to it. Mix all the ingredients together and keep aside.
• Slightly grease the baking sheet with oil, which will prevent the Kerala from sticking to the sheet. Add the Kerala along with the all the masala to the baking sheet and spread it evenly on the baking sheet.
• Place the sheet in a 400 degree F or 280 degree Celsius oven and let them be in the oven for 30 – 35 mins or till the time the Kerala is crisp and golden brown. Keep an eye on the Kerala after around 30 mins to avoid them from getting over charred and burnt.
• Once the Kerala has baked and have a nice golden color remove them from the oven and keep aside.
• In a frying pan add the remaining 1 table spoon of olive oil and add the sliced onion to the pan and sauté the onion till they get a nice pink color.
• Add the baked Kerala’s along with the dry masala completely to the frying pan and cover it with the lid and let them hang in there with the onions till the onion and Kerala have mixed well together. Keep it on a low flame for around 15 – 20 mins.
• Serve with hot roti or paranthas.
• Kerala taste much better the day after you make it and you can enjoy it with the paranthas the next day.

To tell you the truth, this recipe is so good and the Kerala turns out to be so yum that it will get over the night you make it and you will yearn for more and more and more.