Do you cook this Bitter gourd type? We call it as ‘Thumba Kariwila’ or ‘Thumba Karawila’ in Sri Lanka. However, what we found in Sri Lanka is smaller in size.In this Thumba Kariwila curry,I use tomatoes to add flovaour together with creaminess of coconut milk.You can easily substitute tomatoes with tamarind or ‘Goraka’ to adjust the flavour.
Sometimes we find this vegetable in Little India –Singapore, those are little bit bigger than the ones we find in Sri Lanka.I cook it with tomato and coconut milk. It is good in taste and well goes with plain rice and other sides.
Usually I search the web for details before I post any recipe. Interestingly, I could find lot of different names for this vegetable which we call as Thumba Kariwila. Some of those names are Kantola, Forest bitter gourd,spiny gourd or Momordica dioica
In your country, how do you call this vegetable? If you call any different name, please share it in comment section. I am sure it will be a good information to all who read this post.
Here is the recipe for Thumba Kariwila-in Sri Lankan style.If you like other Thumba Karawila recipes,then check this Thumba kariwila stir fry.It is also a delicious way to cook this spiny gourd.
Ingredients: (for 2-3 servings)
150g Thumba Kariwila (forest bittergourd)
1 tomato sliced
1 onion sliced
1-2 tsp chili powder
1 tbs Raw curry powder
¼ tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
Piece of cinnamon stick
Curry leaves
Piece of a pandan leaf (rampe)-optional
2 tbspn cooking Oil
Thick coconut milk ½ cup
Salt to taste
Method
Wash & cut tumba kariwila into big pieces.Keep aside.
Mix all the spices listed above with the pieces and keep aside.
Heat about 2-3 tbspn oil in a pan.
When it is hot, add mustard seeds.
When it is popping out, add onion and sauté for a while.
Once onion are tender, add curry leaves and rampa accordingly.
Mix well and sauté for about 1 minute.
Then add tomato into this and sauté till tomato cooked well.(becomes like a sauce/paste)
Once tomato is well cooked, add thumba kariwila which we kept aside. Mix well. Cover & cook for 10-15 minutes in very low flame. The liquid in tomato paste is enough for cooking. If the mix appears dry, add few spoons of water.
When thumba kariwila is cooked and well coated with tomato paste, add thick coconut milk.
Adjust salt to taste. Cook another 1-2 minutes while mixing the curry.
Serve with plain rice & Enjoy!!!
16 comments
i love this vegetable, yummy dish
Soo yummy and delicious curry…..
Looks lovely and delicious!
Looks delicious!!
never tried this vegetable.. looks yum
My mom loves bitter gourd – she says it helps manage her diabetes – this looks so delicious!
wow indeed treat to eyes and tummy:) Looks very delicious:)
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Ciao Amila! Greetings from San Francisco. I have never had cuisine from Sri Lanka but your post, photos and recipe make this dish so possible. Thanks. What a delicious dish. Bravo, Amila!
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Looks like something worth trying.
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Hi Amila. I made this recipe today and it was so tasty. Thank you so much for all your recipes.
[img]http://i58.tinypic.com/2upy2xj.jpg[/img]
hi,thanks for the comment.Glad to hear it came out delicious!This shared image shows your curry is delicious!
Keep in touch!
Have a nice weekend!
I am a Sri Lankan living in Sydney. He we seldom get this superb healthy vegetable in fresh condition like we could markets form Sri Lanka. However we get this vegetable form Fiji (pre boiled). We love this vegetable cooked in Sri Lankan style and I can recall
some foreigners come long way to Sri Lanka to enjoy this food in Sri Lanka and mostly is it is seasonal
Kumar Siriwardene
Thanks for sharing your experience.Here in Singapore,we can buy it easily from Little India as this is a veggie that Indians too love.But the ones we find in Sri Lanka are smaller.
Hi Amila,
can I replace for tomato with anything. My husband loves thumba kariwila but allergic to tomato.
Thank you,
❤️ from Srilanka.
Dilani
Hi Dilani,
You can avoid tomato.once onions are tender,add Thumba and mix well.Then add little bit water and cook till Thumba are tender.Finally add thick coconut milk.Taste will be bit different.However,I cook like this too.
Don’t forget to add 1 piece of goraka or bit of tamarind pulp to adjust the taste.(add bit sour taste balancing with salt)