Introduction

When I think about Soya Kheema Karela, I always remember both my mom and my mother-in-law. My mom used to make stuffed karela at home in her own special way. She never threw away the peels. Instead, she made a tasty dish called chur-churi with fennel and spices. On the other side, my mother-in-law made kheema karela with non-veg filling. It was very tasty too. One day I thought, why not mix both styles together? That is how I made this recipe with soya kheema inside karela. It is veg, healthy and very delicious.

I still remember going to the vegetable market to buy small karelas. My mom told me that karelas should always be fresh and hard from outside. If they are soft, it means they are old. After peeling them, we rubbed them with salt and turmeric and left them for some time. This way the bitterness comes out. I learned that when you give time and love to karela, it becomes truly tasty.

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Ingredients of Soya Kheema Karela Recipe

Portion Servings: 5–6 people
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 60 minutes

 

Main Ingredients

• Karela (small sized) – 6 to 7 pieces
• Salt – a pinch
• Turmeric powder – a pinch

For Stuffing

• Soyabean – 2 cups
• Oil – 2 tbsp
• Green cardamom – 3 pcs
• Black cardamom – 2 pcs
• Cinnamon – 1 inch
• Black pepper – 10 to 12 pcs
• Bayleaf – 1 pc
• Mace – 1 pc
• Cloves – 4 to 5 pcs
• Onion (chopped) – 2 pcs
• Ginger & garlic paste – 1 tbsp
• Red chilli powder – 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
• Coriander powder – ½ tsp
• Garam masala – ½ tsp
• Salt – 1 tsp
• Kasoori methi – 1 tbsp
• Green chilli (chopped) – 1 tsp
• Tomato (chopped) – 2 pcs
• Soyabean boiled & minced
• Water – as required

For Karela Skin

• Mustard oil – 2 tbsp
• Saunf – ½ tsp
• Onion (sliced) – 2 pcs
• Karela skin – from 6–7 karelas
• Salt – ½ tsp
• Red chilli powder – ½ tsp
• Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
• Amchur powder – 1 tbsp
• Sugar – 1 tbsp

For Coating Masala

• Salt – ½ tsp
• Red chilli powder – ½ tsp
• Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
• Jeera powder – ½ tsp
• Garam masala – a pinch
• Coriander powder – ½ tsp
• Saunf powder – ½ tsp
• Amchur powder – ½ tsp

For Cooking Stuffed Karela

• Mustard oil – 2 tbsp
• Saunf – 1 tsp
• Stuffed & marinated karela
• Karela skin mixture
• Coriander (chopped) – 1 tbsp

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Instructions of Soya Kheema Karela Recipe

 

Step 1: Prepare the Bitter Gourd

• Wash karelas well.
• Scrape off the skin and keep the peel aside for later use.
• Slit the karelas lengthwise and remove seeds carefully.
• Rub salt and turmeric inside and outside the karelas.
• Keep aside for 1 to 2 hours so the bitterness reduces.

 

Step 2: Cook the Soya Kheema

• Boil soya nuggets for 2–3 minutes, rinse well, and mince them finely.
• In a pan, heat oil. Add whole spices: cardamoms, cinnamon, black pepper, bayleaf, mace, and cloves.
• Sauté chopped onions until golden brown.
• Add ginger–garlic paste, then cook for a minute.
• Mix in red chilli, turmeric, coriander, garam masala, kasoori methi, and chopped green chilli.
• Add chopped tomatoes and cook until soft.
• Now add the minced soya and cook till dry and well blended. Keep aside to cool.

 

Step 3: Prepare the Karela Skin

• Sprinkle salt and turmeric on the scraped karela skin and leave it for a while.
• Squeeze out extra water from the skin.
• Heat mustard oil, add saunf and sliced onions, and fry until golden.
• Add the karela skin, salt, chilli powder, and turmeric.
• Cook until soft, then finish with amchur and sugar. Keep aside.

 

Step 4: Stuff and Coat the Karela

• Wash the marinated karelas, then squeeze out excess liquid.
• Fill each karela tightly with the soya kheema mixture.
• If needed, tie with thread to keep filling inside.
• On a plate, mix dry coating spices. Roll stuffed karelas in this mix to coat well.

 

Step 5: Cook the Stuffed Karela

• Heat mustard oil in a pan and add saunf.
• Place stuffed karelas gently in the pan.
• Cook on medium heat, turning from time to time until evenly browned and soft.
• In the last stage, add the prepared karela skin mixture into the pan and toss together.

 

Step 6: Finish and Serve

• Sprinkle fresh coriander leaves on top.
• Serve hot with roti, paratha, or plain rice.
• Enjoy the balance of spicy soya filling, tangy-sweet karela skin, and the earthy karela taste.

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About the Recipe

Soya Kheema Karela Recipe is a mix of tradition and health. First, karela is peeled and the peel is kept aside for chur-churi. The karela is slit, seeds removed, and then rubbed with salt and turmeric to reduce the bitterness. At the same time, soya nuggets are boiled, crushed and cooked with onion, tomato and spices. This becomes the soya kheema filling.

The karelas are stuffed with this kheema and tied with a thread so that the stuffing does not come out while cooking. Then they are coated with masala powder and slowly cooked in mustard oil with fennel. The chur-churi made from the peel is added in the end and served as a base for the karelas. The final dish looks beautiful and tastes even better.

The best part is that this dish is full of protein and flavor. If extra kheema is left, you can use it for parathas, kebabs, or even eat it with dal and rice. It is one recipe with many uses. Truly, it is a family style dish that everyone can enjoy.

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Cooking Tips

• Choose small karelas that are fresh and hard from outside. This gives the best taste.
• Always rub karela with salt and turmeric and keep for at least 1 to 2 hours. This removes bitterness.
• Do not throw away the peel. Use it to make chur-churi with fennel and onion.
• Boil soya nuggets for 2 to 3 minutes, then crush them before using.
• Cook the kheema in a wide kadai so that it becomes dry and bhuna well.
• Tie karelas with thread so the filling does not come out while frying.
• Coat karela with masala powder before frying to add more flavor.
• Cook on medium flame, not very high or very low, so it cooks evenly.

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Pairing Guide

Soya Kheema Karela tastes very good with simple dal and rice. You can also eat it with hot chapati or paratha. The chur-churi made from the peel is already a great side dish with karela. If you like, you can serve it with a light salad or some plain curd to balance the strong flavors. The leftover kheema can be used for parathas or kebabs, so it makes a full meal by itself.

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Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is Soya Kheema Karela Recipe?

Soya Kheema Karela Recipe is a stuffed karela dish where karela is filled with spicy soya kheema and cooked with masala. It is vegetarian, tasty, and full of protein.

 

2. How do I remove the bitterness from karela in Soya Kheema Karela Recipe?

In Soya Kheema Karela Recipe, karela is rubbed with salt and turmeric and left for 1 to 2 hours. This removes most of the bitterness.

 

3. What is chur-churi in Soya Kheema Karela Recipe?

Chur-churi in Soya Kheema Karela Recipe is a side dish made from karela peel, onion, fennel, salt, turmeric and spices. It is cooked separately and served with karela.

 

4. Can I use soya granules instead of nuggets in Soya Kheema Karela Recipe?

Yes, in Soya Kheema Karela Recipe you can use either soya granules or nuggets. If using nuggets, boil and crush them before cooking.

 

5. Why do we tie karela with thread in Soya Kheema Karela Recipe?

In Soya Kheema Karela Recipe, karela is tied with thread so that the soya kheema stuffing does not come out while frying.

 

6. Which oil is best for Soya Kheema Karela Recipe?

Mustard oil is used in Soya Kheema Karela Recipe because it gives the best flavor with fennel and spices.

 

7. How long should I cook the kheema in Soya Kheema Karela Recipe?

The soya kheema in Soya Kheema Karela Recipe should be cooked for 10 to 12 minutes in a wide kadai until it is bhuna well and oil separates.

 

8. Can I eat leftover kheema from Soya Kheema Karela Recipe in other ways?

Yes, leftover kheema from Soya Kheema Karela Recipe can be used in parathas, kebabs, or eaten with dal and rice.

 

9. What spices are important in Soya Kheema Karela Recipe?

In Soya Kheema Karela Recipe, important spices are red chilli powder, turmeric, coriander powder, cumin powder, kasuri methi, fennel, and amchur.

 

10. Is Soya Kheema Karela Recipe healthy?

Yes, Soya Kheema Karela Recipe is very healthy. It combines the benefits of karela with high protein soya, making it both nutritious and tasty.

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