Karele ka murabba

Acts as a good remedy for the severest of coughs.

Ingredients:

• ? kg bitter gourd;
• 350 gm sugar (or jaggery);
• 5-6 strands saffron; 8-10 pepper corns;
• 5-6 cardamoms.

Method:

• Peel the bitter gourd, wash thoroughly and squeeze out any water.
• Cut thick discs (about 2 inch thickness) and immerse in boiling water for 2 minutes.
• Drain and squeeze out water. Pressure cook these discs for 2 minutes.
• When cool, squeeze out the water again and keep aside.

Mix the sugar in equal amount of water and boil in a heavy bottom vessel. When sugar melts completely, add the gourd, pepper corns and peeled cardamoms.

Mix and let it cook partly covered on a sim flame, till the gourd is tender and the syrup is of thread constituency. Soak the saffron in 1 teaspoon of boiling water and add. When cool, store in dry, air-tight glass bottles.