Ivy gourd sabji

Sabji aka dry vegetable dish!

Called kovakkai in Tamil, dondakkai in Telegu, tindora in Hindi, tendli in Marathi, the ivy gourd is a fairly commonly used vegetable in Indian cuisine. My first recollection of eating this vegetable however, was only after we moved to Mumbai when I was ten years old. I fell in love with it. This one soaks a lot of oil though, so making it without oil is a bit tricky. Sautéing the onions/ginger/garlic till it’s really brown (add vegetable broth if it sticks a lot) and then adding the sliced vegetable and sautéing a lot more with spices (e.g Garam masala) gives it a good flavor. It is a bit of work to cut though and takes time. Each individual small gourd has to be sliced and there are tiny seeds in it. Some of them will be reddish inside indicating they have ripened. It’s okay to use these too, though I discard them if they feel too soft and slimy. You can get it at the local Indian store. Apparently, it is a good source of antioxidants and has medicinal value.

1/2 kg Ivy gourd sliced long

1 tbsp ginger/garlic

1 small onion diced

1 tbsp garam masala (or your favorite spice powder)

Salt to taste

Vegetable broth to unstick the onions

1 tsp cumin seeds

1. Roast the cumin seeds. When they turn brown, add onions, ginger/garlic and saute till very brown. Keep adding small amounts of broth to unstick the onions

2. Add the sliced gourd and salt and the spice powder.

3. Sauté well with the onions on high heat till the gourd turns really brown.

4. Reduce to smallest heat and leave covered for about 10 minutes stirring in between to prevent it from getting burnt.

5. Serve with roti.