Bitter Gourd Pickle/ Karela Achar Recipe: Why is it Good for Diabetes?

Bitter gourd is known for its various health benefits including keeping the normal regulation of insulin in the body. It also helps in the proper utilisation of sugar by preventing its conversion into fat which in turn helps in proper insulin management. Due to its high nutritious value, health experts recommend the consumption of bitter gourd for promoting a healthy lifestyle. There are several ways in which bitter gourd can be consumed. Here, we have curated the recipe of bitter gourd pickle or Karela achar which is often served to people diagnosed with diabetes.

Bitter gourd pickle/ Karela achar ingredients

7-8 medium-sized bitter gourd

1 tbsp Vinegar or juice of 2 lemons

Asafoetida

1 cup mustard oil

2 tsp jeera (cumin)

½ tsp garam masala

2 tsp methi (fenugreek)

3 tsp salt

4 tsp saunff (fennel seeds)

1 tsp black salt

2 tsp crushed yellow mustard

1 tsp red chilly powder

1 tsp turmeric powder

How to make Bitter gourd pickle or Karela achar?

1. Wash 7-8 medium-sized bitter gourds twice with clean water and cut them into thin round pieces.
2. Add 1 tsp of salt to the cut pieces and keep them in a utensil for about an hour.
3. After 1 hour, boil the salt-coated bitter gourd pieces for about 5 minutes.
4. Strain excess water and secure the boiled pieces in a washed cloth for 2-3 hours in the open sun, allowing them to dry nicely.
5. Take a pan and add asafoetida, jeera, methi, and saunff. Roast them until their colour changes to light brown.
6. Grind the roasted spices with yellow mustard in a powdered texture.
7. Gather the dried bitter gourd pieces in a clean dry utensil.
8. Add the prepared powdered spices with some salt and mix all the ingredients properly.
9. Squeeze the juice of lemons and mix it all well. If not lemon a tbsp of vinegar can be used in its replacement.
10. Gather the mixed ingredient in a glass container and keep them in the sun.
11. For a span of 4 days, keep mixing the contents of the container with a clean and dry spoon. Your Bitter gourd pickle is ready to serve.
12. The pickle can be eaten for about 15-20 days, meanwhile, the shelf life of the dish can be increased by storing the container in a refrigerator or using enough mustard oil to submerge the pickle completely.

What are the health benefits of bitter gourd pickle?

According to a report by Simha’s Spices & Herbs, bitter gourd has been used as an anti-diabetic in the diet of patients for centuries. Studies have detected the presence of a phytonutrient polypeptide-P in bitter gourd, a plant insulin that helps to keep the flow of sugar levels low in the blood. It also contains a compound namely charantin, which turns glucose into a chain in the non-sugar form to make it available when needed.