Serves: 4
Total Calories: 383

1 large russet potato (or any kind)
1 pound bitter melons (3 large)
2 to 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoons Bengali 5-Spices or store-bought panch-phoran
2 tablespoons peeled minced fresh ginger
2 cups finely chopped tomatoes
1 to 3 fresh green chili pepper, such as serrano, minced with seeds
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/8 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/8 teaspoon ground asafoetida
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/3 cup nonfat plain yogurt, whisked until smooth
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems
1 to 1 1/2 cup water

1. Boil the potato in lightly salted water to cover until tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Meanwhile prepare the 5-spcies. Then, drain the potato, let cool, then peel and cut into 1/2-inch pieces.

2. Make a long, 1-inch deep cut into one side of each bitter melon but don't split into 2 pieces. (The cut allows the flavors to penetrate inside.) Then cut each bitter melon into 2-inch pieces.

3. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-heat and add the 5-spices they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Quickly add the bitter melon pieces and cook, stirring, until golden brown on all sides, 10 minutes. Push the bitter melon pieces to one side of the pan, add the potato, and cook, stirring, until golden, 4 minutes.

4. Transfer the bitter melon and potato to a bowl. In the same cooking pan, add the ginger, tomatoes, green chili peppers, turmeric, asafoetida, and salt. Cook until most of the tomato juices evaporate, 2 to 3 minutes. Mix in the yogurt, a little at a time, stirring constantly to prevent it from curdling. Then add the water and bring to a boil over high heat.

5. Add the bitter melon and potato, cover the pan, and bring to a boil again. Then reduce the heat to low, mix in the cilantro, and summer, covered, about 10 minutes to blend the flavors. Transfer to a serving dish and serve hot.

From "1,000 Indian Recipes." Copyright 2002 by Neelam Batra. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Nutritional Facts:

Serves: 4
Total Calories: 383
Calories from Fat: 72

More Recipes from the 1000 Indian Recipes Cookbook:
* Vegetarian Curries
Anaheim Peppers in Spicy Tamarind Sauce
Bitter Melon Curry
Butter-Cream Sauce with Fresh Tomatoes
Buttermilk and Cucumber Creamy Curry
Chickpea Pancakes in Curry Sauce
Classic Spicy Curry Sauce
Crispy Fried Okra in Yogurt Sauce
Curried Almond and Poppy Seed Potatoes
Curried Baby White Turnips with Turnip Greens
Curried Eggplant with Hot and Spicy Lentil Nuggets
Curried Fresh Peas or Corn and Potatoes
Curried Jackfruit
Curried Soybean Nuggets
Diced Potato Curry with Pickling Spices
Eggplant Curry with Sambar Powder
Fenugreek Yogurt Curry with Fritters
Green Mango Curry
Haridwar Potato Curry
Hot and Tangy Goan Mixed Vegetables
Hyderabadi Tomatoes in Spicy Tamarind Sauce
Hyderbadi Spicy Eggplants with Roasted Peanut and Sesame Sauce
Kerala Cucumber Curry
Kerala Mixed Vegetable Curry
Lotus Root Balls in Classic Curry Sauce
Mango Curry with Split Pigeon Peas
Minty Green Curry Sauce
Minty Pot-Roasted Potato Curry
Mixed Vegetables in Tomato-Cream Sauce
Mushrooms in Almond and Poppy Seed Sauce
Mustard Greens with Cauliflower Florets
Nani Mama's Yogurt Curry with Onion Fritter
Onion Wedges in Curry Sauce
Peach Halves in Savory Ginger-Peach Sauce
Pot-Roasted Fried Whole Potatoes in Yogurt Curry
Punjabi Chickpea Drops Curry
Punjabi Chickpea Flour Bits in Curry Sauce
Punjabi Mustard Greens
Quick Potatoes and Peas Curry with Tomato Sauce
Quick Punjabi Yogurt Curry
Rajasthani Chickpea Flour Bits in Yogurt Sauce
Rajasthani Potato Curry
Simple Turnip Curry
Sindhi Mixed Vegetables with Split Pigeon Peas
Sindhi Tamarind Curry with Vegetables
Soupy Gujarati Curry
South Indian Pumpkin Curry with Split Pigeon Peas
South Indian Yogurt Curry
South Indian Yogurt and Coconut Milk Curry with Vegetables
Soybean Nugget Curry with Red Bell Peppers
Spicy Curried Chickpea Drops
Spicy Lentil Nugget Curry with Potatoes
Spicy Okra Curry
Spicy Puréed Spinach Greens
Spicy Yogurt Curry with Spinach Ribbons
Spinach Balls in Green Curry
Spinach, Fenugreek Greens, and Broccoli
Stuffed Bell Peppers in Tomato-Cream Sauce
Stuffed Potato Balls in Tomato and Coconut Chutney Curry
Watermelon Whites in Tomato and Onion Sauce
Whole Cauliflower in Traditional Curry Sauce
Yogurt and Potato Curry
Yogurt-Cream Sauce with Nuts
Zucchini Balls in Creamy Tomato Sauce