Karathe Chips ( Bitter gourd Crisps)

Karathe Chips is a recently learned recipe. In Konkani, Karathe means bitter gourd (bitter melon). This is a very easy recipe and requires only few ingredients (and of course they taste awesome). Hence I instantly fell in love with it. I am glad that I was able to learn it from my SIL. This was my first try in making it and they turned out just as she had made them. We enjoyed every bit of it.

Like many people, I am not a great of these bitter beauties. But trust me these chips turn out very tasty and don't taste bitter at all. Best thing is it can be stored for many days. I love to have these with rice and dal. Do give it a try and enjoy as I did :-)

Ingredients:

• Bitter gourd, medium sized- 4
• Rice flour- 1/4 cup
• Red chilli powder- To taste
• Salt- To taste
• Oil- For deep frying

Procedure:

Wash the bitter gourd and chop off its end. Then make thin slices of it.

Then remove the seeds from each slice and put them in a bowl. Now sprinkle with generous amount of salt and give a gentle mix.

Let it rest for 4-5 hours (I kept it over night). Now discard the liquid that has accumulated in the bowl. Then add the rice flour, red chilli powder and salt (only if required) and mix it well. Sprinkle little water at a time so that the flour coats the bitter gourd rings (mix it gently such that the rings do not break and all of them gets a coating).

Meanwhile keep the oil for heating. When the oil is hot, add each coated bitter gourd rings and fry them (in batches) until they turn golden brown and crispy.

Then put them on a paper towel to drain excess oil (I fried them in four batches). 

Karathe Chips is ready!!

Store them in an air tight container, once they cool. Above measurement serves 2-3 people and stays good upto a week.