Karela (Bitter Gourd) Pickle | करेला का चटपटा अचार

A traditional Bihari preparation, this pickle is made with white bitter gourd grown locally.. Bite into the crunchy finger like pieces, wrapped with a tangy, chatpata masala – blended together in raw mango juice and mustard oil.

Ingredients used in the Bitter Gourd Pickle

include Bitter Gourd, Raw Mango Juice, Mustard, Mustard Oil, Cumin Seeds, Black Mustard, Coriander Powder, Carom Seeds, Nigella Seeds, Fenugreek, Fennel Seeds, Red Chilli Powder, Turmeric, Black Salt, Asafoetida, Salt

RECIPE: How is the pickle prepared?

The pickling starts with selecting the right type of Karela.

Here locally a white variety of bitter gourd is grown, specially for pickling. It has fewer seeds as well. We make sure the fruit used is freshly plucked.

Once the bitter gourd arrives to our kitchen factory, it washed and cleaned, and left in the sun to dry for a couple of hours.

It is then cut into 2 inches long finger like shapes. In case after cutting the karela, all the seeds are red in colour, that karela is rejected as it has become too mature for pickling. 

We remove all the seeds, and again the cut pieces are spread out in the sun so that the moisture within gets removed.

The marination of this pickle is different and is done in raw mango’s juice, together with salt and turmeric. This marinated cut karela is left untouched for 12 hours.

After this time has passed, the ground and roasted masalas are added to the pickle along with mustard oil.

It is a relatively easier pickle to sun-dry and takes about 10 days to get ready in good sun-light.

We enjoy this pickle most with aaloo parantha and dahi 😊

Karela (Bitter Gourd) Pickle is sold as part of Mithila Pickles and All Pickle Collection on JhaJi Store