Cooking with MIL - Margoze in masala

Ever since I first visited Mauritius for the first time in the late 90s, I have been fascinated by MILs (Mother-in-law) cooking. There are dishes she makes so yummy, but when I try, it does not taste the same, even if I use the same ingredients.  

I love dishes with a slightly bitter taste, and what tastes more bitter than Bitter Gourd?! It is said the most bitter bitter gourds grow in Mauritius! I dont know if that is true, but indeed, they are very bitter! 

In Mauritius the vegetable is called "Margoze" and the Hindi name for it is "Karela". Mauritians also use to say "Le temps margoze", which, if I am not mistaken, means something like "bad, old times". 

You know it is not always easy to get a written recipe from one being a "chef" for years, they always say: "Oh, I dont have a recipe, I just add a little of this a little of that...!" As a newbie in the kitchen - you will never get it right - will you?! Well, I dont consider myself as a newbie, but on certain dishes - yes! :)

MILs Margoze in masala recipe:

- 500 grams margoze

- 1 tbsp salt

- 2-3 onions

- 3-4 garlic cloves

- 3 tomatoes

2 tsp garam masala (from Syria)

2 tsp turmeric

- 8-10 karipouley (curry leaves)

- water, approx 1 cup or less

- oil for frying

- salt to taste

- Clean margoze, remove spots from the skin.

- Cut into two or four, depending on how big the margozes are, remove seeds.

- Cut into slices, lengthwise.

- Add salt - to remove water from the margoze - for approx 20 min.

- Thoroughly rinse off the salt.

- Add oil to the pan and deep fry margoze.

- After half frying time, add chopped onions and garlic cloves. Fry until onion starts to get brown (crispy) - medium heat.



- Remove from the pan/oil to a plate covered with kitchen towels to soak up as much oil as possible.

- Remove most of the oil from the pan, leave just a little bit for frying onions etc.

- Fry onion, garlic cloves (chopped) and add the karipouley leaves. Fry until onion becomes golden.

- Add garam masala, turmeric and the tomatoes.

  

- Add approx 1 cup water - or less - and let it simmer for approx 10 min.
- Add salt to taste. Taste first, because salt remains from soaking the margoze.

Voila! Served!

 

I love to eat it together with fresh baguettes with butter (as if it isnt oily enough as it is - lol!)