As a child, just hearing the word ‘Kakarakaya’ aka ‘bittergourd’ from my mother would keep me away from the day’s meal. It was only as a young teenager that I began to start liking it ever since I tasted a bittergourd stir fry with toasted cashewnuts at a cousin’s wedding. I would never have tasted it had I known it was bittergourd. It didn’t look like bittergourd that I disliked but with pleasing looks, an appetite-pleasing vegetable stir fry, cashewnuts and all. When told it was kakarakaya vepudu, with disbelief writ on my face, I asked for a second helping. My love for this knobbly, bitter-tasting vegetable grew leaps and bounds since then.

Sometimes we’re hesistant to give vegetables that we are resistant to, a second chance to prove themselves. Bittergourd haters, maybe you should give bittergourd a second try, you’ll be sold forever. 🙂 And those with diabetes should definitely give bittergourd high priority in their daily meals.

The following is a favorite in our home, a nicely roasted stir fry with a tangy sweet flavor.