Karlyachi Bhaji

Bitter gourd with peanuts and jaggery — karle (bitter gourd) sliced into thin rounds, salted and squeezed to remove some bitterness, then dry-fried in oil with mustard seeds, dried red chilli, curry leaves, and turmeric until the bitterness mellows and the slices develop golden caramelised spots, seasoned with red chilli powder, salt, a pinch of tamarind water, jaggery, and roasted peanut powder at the end. The Maharashtra approach to karle uses jaggery and peanuts to create a sweet-sour-bitter counterpoint rather than trying to eliminate the bitterness entirely. The final preparation has four perceptible flavours simultaneously — bitter from the gourd, sweet from jaggery, sour from tamarind, and nutty from peanuts. Eaten with bhakri or rice; considered one of the most medicinal everyday preparations in Vidarbha's home cooking.