This is one food that one has to acquire a taste for - indeed either you like it or just gasp at the thought of putting this bitter member of the melon family in your mouth and consider it "good food". Ever since I was young growing up in Trinidad carailli has been a part of my life - I am happy that this stage of my life has passed and I don't have to encounter it again. Now don't get me wrong I was not forced to eat it but my grand parents and parents enjoyed cooking and eating carailli with sada roti. I believe that the carailli is fried in oil until soft and seasoned to add some taste to the bitter end (sorry, I could not help it). I do believe that I eventually learnt to tolerate it and ate it quite a few times. However, no one could ever get me to try a cooked version of this food group known as Khalongi (thanks for reminding me about the name Karlene aka KK). If you believe that carailli (karaili in some circles) is hated then khalongi has to be number one on that list. The carailli is gutted and stuffed with seasonings and other items cooked and eaten. Here is a snippet of information from the CookUp featured in the Trinidad Guardian newspaper. The author is Wendy Rahamut:
"Carailli—a rough-skinned, cucumber-like fruit, also called bitter melon—is probably one of the most unpopular in the melon family. Why? It’s bitter!
Years ago eating carailli meant first salting it, then squeezing the flesh to remove any bitter juices before it was cooked. But if you choose young green carailli you’ll find the bitterness is tolerable and actually contributes to the deliciousness of this vegetable.
There are also some healing properties associated with carailli. The juice of this fruit can be helpful for diabetes and tea made from the leaves may help alleviate high blood pressure."
Here is a recipe that you may want to try taken from Caribbean Voice (thanks, but I will pass on the invitations to dine and feast on this dish):
http://www.caribvoice.org/Foods%20&%20Recipes/vegetablerecipes.html
SHRIMP STUFFED CARAILLI IN A LEMONGRASS COCONUT CURRY
4 cloves garlic
2 onions
2 tbs chopped chadon beni
1 hot pepper seeded
4 large carailli
4 tbs vegetable oil
1 tsp ground roasted cumin
(geera)
1 lb shrimp, minced
2 stalks lemon grass, chopped
1 tsp garam masala
1 cup coconut milk
3 tbs curry powder
salt to taste
Slit carailli lengthways, remove seeds, do not cut in half or let knife go right through. Place garlic, onion, pepper and chadon beni in a blender or food processor and process to a fine consistency. Bring a pot of water to a boil, drop in carailli and cook for five minutes, remove and drain. Heat one tbs oil in a sauté pan, add one tbs ground garlic and onion mixture, add cumin, cook until fragrant, add shrimp and cook for five minutes. Remove and season to taste with salt. Stuff the carailli with the shrimp mixture, tie together with kitchen twine and secure well, set aside. Heat the remaining oil in a sauté pan, add the lemongrass, and balance of the garlic, onion mixture, add garam masala and curry powder, pour on coconut milk and simmer for five minutes, then add carailli and cover and simmer for ten minutes. Slice and serve as a side dish with other curried dishes. Serves six to eight.
Here is a recipe that you may want to try taken from Caribbean Voice (thanks, but I will pass on the invitations to dine and feast on this dish):
http://www.caribvoice.org/Foods%20&%20Recipes/vegetablerecipes.html
SHRIMP STUFFED CARAILLI IN A LEMONGRASS COCONUT CURRY
4 cloves garlic
2 onions
2 tbs chopped chadon beni
1 hot pepper seeded
4 large carailli
4 tbs vegetable oil
1 tsp ground roasted cumin
(geera)
1 lb shrimp, minced
2 stalks lemon grass, chopped
1 tsp garam masala
1 cup coconut milk
3 tbs curry powder
salt to taste
Slit carailli lengthways, remove seeds, do not cut in half or let knife go right through. Place garlic, onion, pepper and chadon beni in a blender or food processor and process to a fine consistency. Bring a pot of water to a boil, drop in carailli and cook for five minutes, remove and drain. Heat one tbs oil in a sauté pan, add one tbs ground garlic and onion mixture, add cumin, cook until fragrant, add shrimp and cook for five minutes. Remove and season to taste with salt. Stuff the carailli with the shrimp mixture, tie together with kitchen twine and secure well, set aside. Heat the remaining oil in a sauté pan, add the lemongrass, and balance of the garlic, onion mixture, add garam masala and curry powder, pour on coconut milk and simmer for five minutes, then add carailli and cover and simmer for ten minutes. Slice and serve as a side dish with other curried dishes. Serves six to eight.
Photo Source: http://www.nalis.org
