Dum Ka Karela

Serves: Four
Time required: One hour 15 minutes plus baking time

Required Ingredients:

15 g ginger paste
15 g garlic paste
1 tsp (5 g) turmeric powder
Butter for basting and greasing.
Salt to taste

For the filling:
150 g paneer, grated
60 g groundnuts
1 tbs (15 g) sesame seeds
15 g coconut
1 tsp (5 g) cummin seeds
2 (120 g) large onions
5 cm ginger, julienned
1 1/2 tsp (7 g) coriander powder
1 tsp (5 g) chilli powder
Salt to taste
2 tbs (30 ml) tamarind pulp
15 g jaggery, crushed

For the tempering:
3 tbs (45 ml) sesame oil
1/2 tsp (2 g) cummin seeds
1/2 tsp (2 g) mustard seeds
1/4 tsp (1 g) fenugreek seeds
24 curry leaves
 
Method of Preparation:
 
WASH and slit the bitter gourds on one side. Remove the seeds and rub with salt.
Arrange on a tilting tray and keep aside for at least an hour. (Keep the bitter gourds
overnight if you prefer them to be even less bitter).
Put enough water in a pan. Add salt, ginger paste, garlic paste, and turmeric powder.
Stir and bring to a boil. Add the bitter gourds and blanch them until soft. Drain and
keep aside.
 
To prepare the filling:
Remove the brown skin and roughly chop the coconut. Dry roast the coconut,
groundnuts, sesame seeds and cummin seeds in a frying pan until each emits its unique
aroma. Hold the onions with tongs and roast them directly over the flame until the skin
is charred. Cool, peel and roughly chop the onions. Grind all these ingredients, except
paneer, with 1/4th cup water to fine paste.Add paneer, ginger, jaggery, coriander
powder and chilli powder to the paste and mix well.
 
To prepare the tempering:
Heat oil in a frying pan and season with cummin seeds, mustard seeds and fenugreek
seeds. Stir over medium heat until they begin to crackle. Add curry leaves and stir.
Pour over the paste, mix well and divide into 12 equal portions. Put a portion of the
filling into each of the blanched bitter gourds. Arrange them in a greased roasting tray with the slit side on top. Cover with foil. Punch a few holes in the foil and cook on dum in the pre-heated oven at 275oF for 30 minutes, basting at regular intervals. Remove and uncover.

To Serve: 
Remove to a serving dish and serve with cummin-tempered whole potatoes
and buttered seasonal vegetables on the side.

Making of Mava Burfi

Serves: 25 helpings
Time required:1/2 hr.
Shelf life: 10 days

Needed Ingredients:

500 gms khoya
300 gms. powdered sugar
1 tsp. cardamom powder
2 sheets silver foil (edible)
 
Preparing Method:

Mash khoya . Mix in tne sugar. Put into a heavy saucepan.
Cook on slow flame, stirring continuously.
Cook till the mixture is a very soft lump.* 
Place on a working board and roll with a rolling pin to 1/2 inch thickness.
Cool a little. Spread on the working board silver foil carefully and evenly.
Make incisions with knife to cut in the desired size and shape.
 
Note: Burfi is usually cut into 1 1/2 inch squares.
 
Variation:
To make chocolate mava burfi: Follow till * as above. Divide the mixture in two parts 1/3 and 2/3
In the smaller part mix 1 tablespoon cocoa powder and 1/2 tsp. chocolate colour.
Roll both parts separately. Place the chocolate on the mava layer. Roll lightly.
Continue as for mava burfee.