Category Archives: Garam Masala Tuesdays

There are a few recipes I got courtesy my mom. One of them is this chicken tikka. Actually its part of the butter chicken (the indian version of chicken tikka masala recipe) that she handed out but now I make it stand alone too when I want a quick dinner for weeknights. Serve it with some pita/paranthas or naan, choose to make this salad or use it as a filling in chicken tikka pasties.

I love chicken tikka. I love tandoori chicken too, but when I don’t want to deal with bones, chicken tikka is the way I go. This makes a great appetizer to make for get togethers, plus leftovers are always used to make rolls the next day.

For the rolls, I half cook paranthas and break an egg on it, slather some mint chutney, ranch (or you could use mayo), some ketchup, sauteed onions and bell peppers and add the chicken tikkas. Yum! The only problem of writing a food blog is when you start writing about a particular recipe, you feel like eating that dish. I feel like eating chicken tikka wraps now. But today is Tuesday and V does not eat meat. Well…Marriage!

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I have never been a fan of karela or bitter gourd. As the name suggests karelas can be very bitter and that is why as a kid (and adult!) I had a tough time eating this vegetable (fruit?). Its the kind of vegetable that people either hate or love. And although I would like to say I hate it, because of its nutritional benefits, its something that I keep trying to love.

Even though bitter gourd can be very bitter, it is full with benefits for your body and the only reason why when V suggested we buy some from the Indian grocery store I did not refuse. In India, a lot of diabetics have bitter gourd juice since it is known to reduce blood sugar levels. Besides being good for diabetics, bitter gourd also has other nutritional benefits, and is rich in vitamins and minerals. It is supposed to be a good cure for hangover too. Karele ka juice is also great for treating acne and clearing your skin up. Being low in calorie it is also great for those trying to keep a watch on that waist line.

One does have to get past its taste though to reap the benefits of Karela. But as I learnt with this recipe, if prepared correctly, you can remove much of the bitterness and actually get a dish that even I enjoyed. One of the most popular way to reduce the bitterness is to salt the bitter gourd and leave it for some time. Then squeeze the juice out, wash the gourd and cook it. I reserve the squeezed out juice and drink it like a shot, that ways I don’t lose out on any of the nutrients in the juice. Of course I wince with every gulp I take, but I keep reminding myself of the benefits and see myself through. Frying the gourd is another way to reduce the bitterness.

My grandmother would make a stuffed karela recipe which everyone enjoyed. Hers was the only way I would eat, if I would eat. Unfortunately, my grandmom is no more and I never got a chance to take the recipe from her because I never thought I would willingly make karela at home.

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