A dry curry style bitter gourd recipe with potatoes, just the way my mom used to make it. This can be accompanied with rice and a side dish or condiment.
Using a vegetable peeler, scrape the textured skin off the bitter gourd.
Rub the gourds with quite a generous amount of salt, about one tablespoon.
Next, cover the bitter gourds with water and leave it to soak for about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, thoroughly wash the potatoes. Leave the skin on and cut into wedges.
Rub the potato wedges with one tablespoon of turmeric powder.
Heat oil in a large pan, then place potatoes in the pan. You may add more oil if necessary but no water should be added to this dish as we are looking for a nice crispy texture.
Let the potatoes cook for about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, remove the bitter gourd from the brine solution and rinse well. Cut into strips of about 5 cm/2 inches long.
Then add the bitter gourd pieces to the pan together with the potatoes. Add the curry leaves, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder and the garam masala.
Now let this cook until the potatoes are soft inside but crispy on the outside. Occasionally, stir and turn the potatoes and bitter gourd over to ensure even cooking. The bitter gourd should take about the same time to cook although they should not be overly crispy (otherwise much of the nutrients will be lost).