Karela Tikki Recipe | Healthy Bitter Gourd Snack
Tarla Dalal
• Updated : Jan 19, 2026
If you think bitter vegetables can’t be delicious, this karela tikki recipe will happily prove you wrong. Crispy on the outside and soft inside, these tikkis are a smart way to enjoy karela without the bitterness taking over. Perfect as an evening snack or a light meal, they’re a great alternative to deep-fried treats. If you enjoy experimenting, you’ll also love variations like bottle gourd tikki, which are equally comforting and nutritious. What makes these recipes special is that they fit perfectly into a balanced lifestyle, making them a truly healthy Indian tikki option. Made with wholesome ingredients and minimal oil, this snack is also good for diabetics, helping you enjoy flavor without guilt.
Table of Content
Though unpleasantly bitter, karela tops the list of diabetes-friendly foods. It contains gurmarin, a polypeptide that works like insulin in our body and helps to regulate blood sugar levels.
Combine karela with carrot and low-fat paneer to make these surprisingly delicious Karela Tikkis.
Moreover potatoes have been replaced with oats as binding agent. Potatoes have high glycemic index and hence have been avoided in these Karela Tikkis for Diabetes. Oats, on the other hand, contain ‘beta-glucan’ which are also known to help manage diabetes.
All the veggies used in these Bitter Gourd Tikkis add a dose of fiber, which too help to control blood sugar levels.
In all, these Karela Tikkis are a perfect snack for Diabetics. With these tikkis, you will overcome the notion that karela is extremely bitter. All the flavour enhancers like lemon juice, coriander and green chilli paste show their magic very well.
Serve Karela Tikkis with diabetic-friendly Garlic Tomato Chutney or Mint and Onion Chutney.
Tags
Soaking Time
0
Preparation Time
20 Mins
Cooking Time
15 Mins
Baking Time
0 Mins
Baking Temperature
0
Sprouting Time
0
Total Time
35 Mins
Makes
16 tikkis
Ingredients
For Karela Tikkis
- 1/2 cup grated bitter gourd (karela) , unpeeled
- salt to taste
- 3/4 cup grated carrot
- 3/4 cup boiled and coarsely mashed green peas
- 1/2 cup crumbled low fat paneer (cottage cheese)
- 2 tbsp finely chopped coriander (dhania)
- 1/2 cup quick cooking oats
- 1 tsp green chilli paste
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 1/2 tsp peanut oil or for greasing and cooking
For The Garlic Tomato Chutney
- 1 1/2 tbsp finely chopped garlic (lehsun)
- 1 cup finely chopped tomato
- 1 tsp oil
- 1/4 cup finely chopped spring onions whites
- 2 whole dry Kashmiri red chilli , soaked and finely chopped
- salt to taste
- 1 tbsp finely chopped coriander (dhania)
- 1 tbsp finely chopped spring onion greens
Method
For karela tikkis
- Apply a little salt to the bitter gourd, mix well and keep aside for 2 to 3 minutes. Squeeze and keep the water aside. This water can be used as given in the handy tip.
- Combine the bitter gourd, carrot, green peas, paneer, coriander, oats, green chilli paste, lemon juice and salt in a bowl and mix well.
- Divide the mixture into 16 equal portions and shape each portion into 50 mm. (2”) flat round tikkis.
- Heat a non-stick tava (griddle) and grease it using ¼ tsp of oil.
- Place 8 karela tikkis and cook them, using ½ tsp of oil, till they turn golden brown in colour from both the sides.
- Repeat step 4 and 5 to cook 8 more karela tikkis. Keep aside.
For the garlic tomato chutney
- Heat the oil in a broad non-stick pan, add the garlic and spring onion whites and sauté on a medium flame for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add the red chillies, tomatoes, salt and 1 tbsp water, mix well and cook on a slow flame for 3 to 4 minutes, while stirring continuously and lightly mashing with the back of a spoon.
- Switch of the flame, add the coriander and spring onion greens and mix well.
Handy tips:
- While grating the bitter gourd, start grating without peeling and avoid including white portion and seeds inside it.
- You will benefit from drinking the water squeezed from the karela as well. To cut its bitter taste, mix with a glass of water or tomato juice.
How to serve karela tikkis
- Serve the karela tikkis hot with garlic tomato chutney.
Karela Tikki Recipe | Healthy Bitter Gourd Snack Video by Tarla Dalal
Karela Tikkis, Bitter Gourd Tikki Recipe recipe with step by step photos
Think starter, and tikki is one of the first options that comes to anybody’s mind! Loved by people of all age groups, tikkis are small, round or oval-shaped snacks, measuring around two or three inches in diameter. Basically, you make a dough of boiled potatoes, sprouts, dals, veggies, herbs and spices in whatever combination you like, shape them into balls, flatten them between your palms and cook them.
You can deep-fry or shallow-fry the tikkis. Each of these methods gives you a different texture. Try the Corn and Capsicum Tikki, a deep-fried delight that combines spicy capsicum with juicy corn. Paneer Tikki is one of the most popular examples of shallow-fried tikkis. This method of frying the tikkis in broad shallow pans with lesser amount of oil is especially suitable for soft and fragile tikkis as it is easier to flip over the tikkis and cook them on both sides.
You could also make healthy versions of tikkis by using oats or nachni flour to bind the ingredients in place of mashed potato. You can also hide a lot of healthy ingredients into the tikkis, ensuring that your kids enjoy consuming these and do not throw tantrums. Check out the tasty Cheese and Broccoli Tikki, which makes kids super happy to finish off their broccoli! You can tava-cook or bake the healthy tikkis instead of frying them, to retain the nutritional advantage.
However much you may master the art of making tikkis, there are some tikkis that are best had on the streets, from roadside vendors! Yes, we are talking about the ever-famous Aloo Tikki, one of the most popular Delhi street foods, loved by several generations of Indians. Hot and crisp Aloo Tikkis are to be relished right off the tava, to warm your body and soul even on a cold, rainy day! It is ideal to serve at parties, as it appeals to almost everyone and tastes best when accompanied by the cheerful banter of friends.
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To make karela tikkis, place a cleaned bitter gourd (karela).
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You first need to grate the karela (Bitter gourd). While grating the bitter gourd, start grating without peeling and avoid including white portion and seeds inside it as they are highly bitter. You will need ½ cup of grated karela.
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Now place this grated bitter gourd in a deep bowl.
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Apply a little salt to the bitter gourd.
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Mix well using your hands. Keep aside for 2 to 3 minutes so the salt can cover the grated karela well.
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Squeeze the grated karela with your fingers so as to remove the water aside. This water is not to be used in these Karela Tikkis. However you will benefit from drinking the water squeezed from the karela as well. To cut its bitter taste, mix with a glass of water or tomato juice.
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Grated bitter gourd in a deep bowl.
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Add veggies to it, they will add on fiber and other nutrients to these Bitter Gourd Tikkis. First add the grated 3/4 cup grated carrot.
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Add the fiber rich 3/4 cup boiled and coarsely mashed green peas.
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Add calcium and protein rich 1/2 cup crumbled low fat paneer (cottage cheese). You can grate the paneer if you wish to.
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Add vitamin A and C rich flavourful herb the fresh 2 tbsp finely chopped coriander (dhania).
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Now add another fiber rich ingredients 1/2 cup quick cooking oats. These are for binding the Karela Cutlets. Usually bread crumbs are added to tikkis, but we have replaced it with oats which are a more nourishing options. Read All About Oats and their Nutritional Benefits.
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Add 1 tsp green chilli paste. If the paste isn’t ready, add finely chopped green chillies.
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Add the 1 tbsp lemon juice for the slight tang.
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Finally add salt as per taste.
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Mix well all the ingredients well using your fingertips.
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Divide the mixture into 16 equal portions.
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Shape each portion into 50 mm. (2”) flat round tikki by rolling it in between your palms.
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Repeat more tikkis. Keep aside.
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Heat a non-stick tava (griddle) and grease it using ¼ tsp of oil.
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Place 8 rolled karela tikki on the hot and greased tava.
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Cook each Cutlet using 1/2 tsp of oil.
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Till it turns golden brown in colour from both the sides. Keep aside.
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Serve the karela tikkis hot with garlic tomato chutney.
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To make Garlic Tomato Chutney, soak 2 red chillies in warm water for 15 minutes.
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Then finely chop them.
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Heat the oil in a broad non-stick pan.
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Add 1 1/2 tbsp finely chopped garlic (lehsun) to it. You need to peel the garlic cloves and finely chop the garlic. You will need 1½ tbsp of finely chopped garlic. Sauté on a medium flame for 1 to 2 minutes.
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Add the 1/4 cup finely chopped spring onions whites now. The spring onion whites lend a slight sweet taste
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Sauté the spring onions whites and garlic on a medium flame for 1 to 2 minutes.
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Add the 2 whole dry Kashmiri red chilli , soaked and finely chopped.
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Add 1 cup finely chopped tomato.
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Add salt to taste.
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Add 1 tbsp of water for cooking.
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Mix well with the help of a ladle. Cook on a slow flame for 3 to 4 minutes. Keep stirring the mixture for Garlic Tomato Chutney continuously and lightly mashing with the back of a spoon. This will help in releasing juice from the tomatoes so as to get the moist chutney like consistency, as this chutney is chunky and not blended till smooth.
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Switch of the flame and add the flavourful herb coriander. Add 1 tbsp finely chopped coriander (dhania)so it blends well with the mixture.
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Add the 1 tbsp finely chopped spring onion greens. These add a great mouthfeel to the Chutney
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Mix well using a spoon.
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Chunky Garlic Tomato Chutney is ready for serving with the Karela TIkkis.
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Karela Tikkis - Karela, also called as Bitter gourd, is not a highly acceptable vegetable by many. But this Karela Tikki will probably change your opinion about this veggie. Turn to these non-fried tikkis if you do not like a subzi out of karela.
While Karela Juice is often suggested for diabetics to keep blood sugar levels under check, this is a variation to opt for when you want to try something new and yet flavourful. The additional veggies – carrot and peas provide some amount of fiber, which too helps in controlling blood sugar levels.
Cornflour and potatoes which have a high glycemic index and thus are not considered healthy for diabetics have been avoided completely. Instead high fiber oats and protein rich low fat paneer have been used. Both these nutrients further help to manage diabetes.
Finally the tikkis have been cooked with Peanut oil, which has a good amount of MUFA (mono unsaturated fatty acids) to reduce inflammation in the body and thus prevent the onset of other chronic diseases like heart disease. Serve them green chutney and you are in for a nourishing snack option. Remember not to go overboard, 2 to 3 tikkis should suffice at snack time.
1. What are Karela Tikkis?
Karela Tikkis are Indian-style flat round snacks made with grated bitter gourd (karela), mixed with vegetables like carrot and peas, bound with oats, and cooked on a tava. They are paired with a garlic tomato chutney.
2. Are these tikkis healthy?
Yes they’re a healthier alternative to regular tikkis because they use oats instead of potatoes and include high-fiber veggies, making them especially suitable for people with diabetes or those seeking low-calorie snacks.
3. How long does it take to make Karela Tikkis?
Total time is about 35 minutes, 20 minutes for preparation and 15 minutes for cooking.
4. How many tikkis does this recipe make?
This recipe yields about 16 tikkis.
5. Can I skip the garlic tomato chutney?
Yes while the chutney enhances flavor, you can serve the tikkis with any preferred chutney or dip, like mint-onion chutney.
6. Do I need to peel the bitter gourd before grating?
No grate the karela unpeeled, but avoid including the white portion and seeds to reduce bitterness.
7. Why do we soak the grated bitter gourd in salt?
Sprinkling salt and squeezing the grated karela helps draw out the bitter water, reducing the strong bitter taste. The squeezed water can even be mixed in water or juice and drunk for health benefits.
8. Can I make these tikkis vegan?
Yes replace the low-fat paneer with tofu or mashed boiled potato/vegetable mix if you want a vegan version.
9. Are these tikkis fried?
They are tava-cooked with a small amount of oil, rather than deep-fried, making them lighter and healthier.
10. What ingredients give these tikkis flavor besides karela?
Carrots, green peas, lemon juice, coriander, and green chilli paste add flavor and help balance the bitterness of bitter gourd.
If you liked this Karela Tikki Recipe then also check out other recipes like:
- collection to nourishing tikkis
- Oats Moong Dal Tikki
- Masoor Tikki with Curd Dip
- Moong Sprouts and Spring Onion Tikki
- Reduce Bitterness Properly
After grating or finely chopping karela, sprinkle salt and rest it for 10–15 minutes. Squeeze out the bitter water well to make the tikkis more palatable. - Do Not Overcook the Karela
Cook the karela just until soft. Overcooking can make it mushy and affect the shape and texture of the tikkis. - Balance Flavours with Spices
Use spices like coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala, and green chillies to balance karela’s bitterness without overpowering it. - Use Potato as a Binding Agent
Boiled and mashed potatoes help bind the mixture and give the tikkis a soft interior while keeping them crisp outside. - Add Besan or Bread Crumbs if Needed
If the mixture feels loose, add a little besan or bread crumbs to absorb moisture and make shaping easier. - Shape Tikkis Evenly
Make uniform-sized tikkis so they cook evenly and look appealing when served. - Cook on Medium Flame
Shallow-fry the tikkis on medium heat to ensure they turn golden and crisp without burning. - Serve Hot with Chutney
Karela tikkis taste best when served hot with green chutney or curd-based dip to complement their flavour.
Nutrient values (Abbrv)per plate
| Energy | 34 Calories |
| Protein | 1.7 g |
| Carbohydrates | 4.4 g |
| Fiber | 0.9 g |
| Fat | 1.1 g |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg |
| Sodium | 18 mg |
Click here to view Calories for Karela Tikkis, Bitter Gourd Tikki Recipe
The Nutrient info is complete
Ruchika
June 27, 2019, 12:35 p.m.
What can be substituted for peas
Tarla Dalal
June 27, 2019, 12:35 p.m.
Hi Ruchika, You can substitute peas with corn but, it won''t be a diabetic friendly recipe anymore.
Winnie
April 9, 2018, 8:45 a.m.
Tried this today ...Turned out absolutely delicious and yummy...a healthy mix of veggies,paneer and oats makes for a great combination... Loved it.
Tarla Dalal
April 9, 2018, 8:45 a.m.
Winnie, thanks for the feedback. Glad you liked the tikki recipe.
Munira
May 15, 2016, 10:48 a.m.
What can we use instead of bread crumbs as a binding agent?
Herminder
Feb. 7, 2015, 9:26 a.m.
Can you freeze the tikki? Before cooking/after?
