I learnt this crispy bitter gourd chips recipe from my MIL. During my recent visit to Salem, my MIL gave me some fresh, home grown bitter gourd (Pavakkai in Tamil, Karela in Hindi, Kākarakāya in Telugu, Hagalakayi in Kannada, Pāvaykka in Malayalam). She also suggested me to try this crispy pavakkai chips for Sendhil and Raksha.

Usually pavakkai chips is made using besan flour, rice flour or Maida and corn flour. But I used wheat flour and rice flour as suggested by my MIL. It came out super crispy and tasty. We all loved it. It tastes less bitter as we are slicing the bitter gourd thinly and deep frying it. Also it stayed crispy for more than an hour. It is prepared without curd, maida or besan flour. If you want to avoid deep frying, you can bake them in an oven but taste varies. Friends, do try this crispy pavakkai chips and enjoy with sambar rice or as teatime snack !

Check out my white colored potato chips recipe, Raw banana chips and French fries too !

Pavakkai chips / Bitter gourd chips recipe

Pavakkai chips / Bittergourd chips recipe

Pavakkai chips recipe / Crispy bittergourd chips recipe

Cuisine:
Indian

Category:
Snacks recipes

Serves:
3

Prep time:
10 Minutes

Cook time:
20 Minutes

Total time:
30 Minutes

INGREDIENTS

Bitter gourd – 2
Wheat flour / Atta – 1/2 cup OR Wheat flour + rice flour – 1/4 cup each
Ginger garlic paste – 1 tsp
Red chilli powder – 1 tsp
Coriander seeds powder / Dhania powder – 1 tsp
Garam masala powder – 1/2 tsp
Fennel seeds powder – 1/2 tsp
Salt – as needed
Water – to sprinkle
Cooking oil – to deep fry

HOW TO MAKE BITTERGOURD CHIPS

Wash and slice bitter gourd thinly and take in a bowl.
In that bowl mix wheat flour, rice flour, gg paste, spice powders, salt along with bitter gourd.
Mix without water. Then sprinkle water slightly, coat the flour and bitter gourd.
Rest for 10 minutes. Then add remaining rice flour, give a good mix. Set aside.
Heat oil to deep fry. Drop each pieces separately and fry in medium flame till golden in color.
Flip and cook the other side till crispy. Remove and drain in a tissue paper.
Serve hot with sambar rice or as teatime snack.

BITTER GOURD CHIPS RECIPE – STEP BY STEP PICTURES

Wash and chop bitter gourd very thinly. Slicing thinly helps to remove bitter taste.

In a bowl, take the sliced bitter gourd. Add wheat flour, rice flour, salt, red chilli powder, dhania powder, garam masala powder, fennel powder, ginger garlic paste. Mix well.

Sprinkle little water to coat the bitter gourd and powders. Rest for 5 minutes. Mix well and its ready to deep fry. If needed sprinkle little rice flour n water.

Heat oil to deep fry. Drop a pinch of bitter gourd and check if it rises to the top immediately. Now sprinkle the bitter gourd pieces one by one in oil. Do not clutter them. Cook in batches of 10 to 15 nos. based on the quantity of oil in the kadai.

Cook in medium to high flame till it becomes golden in color on one side. Keep tossing in oil. Flip and cook the other side till there are few bubbles in oil. Cook till crispy and golden in color. It takes more time to cook. Do not wait for all the bubbles to cease completely. Chips may burn. Rmove at the right stage. Check for crispy taste. Add more wheat flour or rice flour if necessary. Mix and make chips.

Remove the chips in a tissue paper and serve hot for crispy taste. You can serve with sambar / rasam rice or as tea time snack. This bitter gourd chips stays crispy for an hour if fried properly.

Enjoy !

Note

You can use besan flour instead of wheat flour but taste varies.
Deep fry the bitter gourd pieces by tossing it whenever needed and by adjusting the flame. It takes slightly more time to cook than other chips recipes.
You can fry in high flame too but keep tossing and stay nearby else it will burn.
Color of this chips will be on the dark golden brown shade as we are using wheat flour.
Adjust the quantity of wheat flour and rice flour as per the size of bitter gourd.

Try this crispy pavakkai chips and enjoy !