Karela Chips Recipe Healthy Chips

About Bitter Gourd Chips

A few months back, I found a bag of karela chips on the supermarket snacks shelf. I quite liked it. Later, I discovered that bitter gourd chips are the new rage among vegan and healthy food lovers, probably because they are one of the most delicious ways to eat bitter gourd. In India, thinly sliced, deep-fried bitter gourd is a popular snack or a side dish. Our grandmothers have been making pickles, sabzi, and chips using bitter gourd for decades. Bitter Gourd, also known as bitter melon — is a tropical vine that belongs to the gourd family. It has tons of health benefits:

it is a fantastic antioxidant it helps in reducing blood sugar it is low in calories and high in fibre a perfect ingredient for a gluten-free, vegan, plant-based diet it is a rich source of Vitamins, Minerals and several other nutrients regular consumption improves the immune system and respiratory health

Ingredients Required

Bitter Gourd: Use the fresh, green, blemish-free bitter gourd for making chips. Flour: I use gram flour (besan) and rice flour. You can substitute them with tempura flour, all-purpose flour, and cornstarch. Seasoning: Red Chilli Powder, Turmeric Powder, Coriander Powder, Chaat Masala, Garlic Powder, Pickle Masala, and Salt. You can season karela chips with spices and herbs of your choice. Oil: I use mustard oil for its pungent aroma and sharp taste to tone down the bitterness of gourd. You can use coconut oil, sesame oil, or vegetable oil.

How To Make

Step 1) Using a knife or peeler, roughly scrape the skin of the bitter gourd. You can skip this step if the outer skin is very thin and tender. Step 2) Wash bitter gourd nicely. Pat dry with a towel before slicing. Step 3) Cut thin chips like rounds of bitter gourd using a sharp knife. Discard the seeds from the centre if you want. I leave them intact. Step 4) Transfer sliced bitter gourd to a bowl; add flour, seasoning, salt, and oil. Mix nicely to coat each piece with the flour and seasoning (images 1 & 2). Step 5) Preheat the air fryer to 170 degrees Celcius. Spray the air fryer basket with oil. Step 6) Arrange marinated bitter gourd slices neatly on the air fryer basket without overlapping (image 4). Step 7) Air Fry for 20 minutes, turning the karela chips halfway through. Or you can air fry them till the chips turn crisp.

Storage Suggestion

Allow karela chips to cool down before storing. It is best to store karela chips in an airtight container. You can serve them as a healthy munching snack or with everyday Indian meals as a side dish. Whether you deep fry or air fry karela chips, their shelf life is less than 2 days. Hence, it is best to make them in small batches.