Keema bhary kareely is one of the nostalgic foods enjoyed all over Pakistan, especially in Punjab. This recipe I’m teaching you will turn the bitter gourd into an absolute comfort food. Keema is ground beef or mutton that is marinated with some simple everyday spices and then stuffed in deseeded kareela. Stuffed kareely is then fried and added to a spiced masala that takes it to an entirely new level of deliciousness.

What goes into Qeema bhary kareely recipe

This recipe uses some very simple everyday ingredients; most likely you have all of these ingredients in your pantry. I highly recommend the use of crushed coriander seeds as they will give this recipe a freshness and unique taste that is impossible to resist.

Kareely or bitter gourd

Kareely are bitter gourds that are slightly bitter, as the name suggests. To prepare the kareely, use a peeler to remove the bumpy skin, then remove both ends, and using a knife, make a slit only on one side. Use a small spoon to remove the seeds, then wash and dry kareely.

Onions and tomatoes

Peel and chop onions; take the seeds out of the tomatoes and then chop them as well. Also chop your green chilies.

Keema/ Qeema Filling

I used 90/10 ground beef for the stuffing, but you can also use all lean beef or mutton. Chop your onion, tomatoes, and green chilies and add to the ground meat. Also add salt, red chili, turmeric, and crushed coriander seeds, then mix it well.

Stuffing the kareely

Grab a kareela, and use your keema filling to stuff it. Wrap it with the thread to avoid the keema filling from coming out. Check my video to see how I stuffed and wrapped the bitter gourd. Don’t overstuff, or all of the filling will come out during frying.

Frying the keema bhary kareely

You have two options: shallow or pan fry. I like to shallow fry as the kareelas cook thoroughly and the bitterness will also mellow down. If you like to control the calories, then pan fry with a little bit of oil, but the bitterness might persist with this method.

How will you know if the kareelas are fried and the stuffing is cooked through?

• As the filling/ stuffing inside the kareela is cooked, it will shrink, and the thread that was tightly wrapped around the kareela will loosen
• The color of the kareela will change from bright green to light green and finally to brown. I like to cook it until kareely turns brown from all sides.
• Make sure to turn the kareela around often for even cooking from all sides

Once all of the kareelas are fried, take them out on a paper towel.

Making Masala

You will have leftover stuffing; you can cook the leftover stuffing with a little bit of oil to make the masala and then add fried kareela to the masala. Mix it well, and it’s ready to enjoy.

How to serve keema bhary kareely

I like to serve keema bhary kareely with freshly made homemade roti, a side salad, and lasi. If you like keema recipes, then do try my Instant Pot Keema, Samosa Keema filling, and cheese-stuffed garlic naan. Pair it with Dahi Bhary and viral Dubai chocolate for a dessert.