Learn how to make easy and delicious Crispy Bitter Gourd Fry with detailed step by step pictures. Crispy Fried Bitter Gourd or Karela Chips or Bitter Gourd Chips is a delicious side dish with rice!
Wash and cut away the ends of the bitter gourds. Cut into thin roundels, remove any large thick seeds as required. In a bowl, add the cut bitter gourd roundels. Add gram flour, rice flour, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt.
Mix everything together so that the bitter gourd slices are covered in flour. Sprinkle few drops of water until all the powders are wet and there is a thin coating of the batter on the bitter gourd pieces.
Meanwhile, heat oil for deep frying. Once the oil is hot, reduce the flame to medium. Gently drop a few slices of the bitter gourd pieces coated in batter. Keep frying them until golden brown. Remove onto a tissue paper. Repeat the same with the rest of the bitter gourd pieces.
Serve hot as a side for rice with Sambar, Rasam or even Curd. It tasted pretty great with Thengai Paal Sadham too :) These can be served as a snack and stay crispy for few hours.
Notes
Cut the bitter gourd into thin roundels – make sure they are as thin as possible.
To reduce the bitterness, soak the cut bitter gourd slices in sour buttermilk/curd. And squeeze off the pieces to continue with the process.
Adjust red chilli powder as per preference.
Fine rice flour adds to the crispness of these fries and helps retain the crispness for a few hours.
Make sure the oil is hot and then reduce the flame to medium. At a time, a bunch of bitter gourd slices can be fried. Don’t crowd the oil with too many slices – that way, they would absorb more oil.