Tinda Gourd Do Pyaza With Yoghurt
Tinda do-pyaza, Dahi Wala
Sunita Gupta
Note from Mamta: Tinda gourd is an Indian vegetable similar to Indian sweet gourd or Lauki. It looks like a small, light green apple. When sliced, its inside is a bit like a courgette, but firmer. I have not been able to find an English name for it, it has been described by people as a kind of gherkin, a baby pumpkin, round gourd or an Indian squash. In reality, it is none of these. It is available from many Indian stores in UK.
This simple recipe comes from my sister in-law in Delhi. Serves 4-6.
Edited November 2021
Ingredients
400 gm. tinda*
200 gm. onions, peeled and thinly sliced
2 tbsp. cooking oil
3/4 tbsp. salt
4 tbsp. thick yoghurt or 2 tomatoes
2 large cloves of garlic crushed or grated
1/2 tsp. chilli powder
1/2 level tsp. Garam Masala
1 1/2 tsp. coriander powder
1/2 tsp. turmeric, optional, generally not added.
You can add a couple of potatoes to this curry, especially if you do not have enough tindas.
*When buying, the freshest ones are the ones that still have fine dewy hair and are free of any blemishes.
Instructions
Peel and cut tinda gourds into bite size pieces. If any of them have hard seeds, either remove seeds and seed flesh or discard such tindas.
If using tomatoes instead of yoghurt, chop up into small pieces.
Heat oil in a pan and add tinda pieces and onions together.
Cook covered on medium heat. No additional water is required as tindas and onions release enough of their natural water. If you need to add water, either you are cooking on too high heat or your tindas are not fresh.
While the tindas are cooking, mix all the spices, salt, and garlic with yoghurt/tomato pieces.
Add this mix to by now partly cooked tindas and continue to cook until they are fully cooked/tender. Turn heat up and stir fry until all water is absorbed and the dish looks a bit shiny.
Serve hot with fresh Chapatties or Paratha.