Tinda Gourd Masala Curry Without Tomatoes
Tinda Curry Masaledar
Mamta Gupta
This is one of my favourite vegetable bhajies. Potatoes are optional. If you have enough Tinda gourd, omit the potatoes.
Note from Mamta: Tinda gourd is an Indian vegetable, looks like a small, light green apple. When sliced, its inside is a bit like a courgette, but whiter and firmer. I have not been able to find an English name for it, it is variously called 'a kind of gherkin', a baby pumpkin, round gourd, round melon, Indian squash, apple gourd or Indian baby pumpkin. In reality, it is none of these.
It is available from many Indian stores in UK. next time you are in one, try to get some.
Serves 4
Edited January 2025
Ingredients
500 gm. tinda, peeled and quartered
1-2 medium potatoes (optional), peeled and cut into thick wedges.
2 medium sized onions, peeled and roughly chopped
1/2 inch piece ginger, peeled and roughly chopped or shredded
1-2 cloves of garlic, crushed or shredded (garlic is optional)
2-3 tbsp. oil
1 tsp. cumin or mustard seeds
2 brown cardamoms*, broken
2 bay leaves*
1 inch piece of cinnamon*
1 1/2 tsp. coriander powder
1 level tsp. turmeric powder
1/2 tsp. chilli powder, adjust to taste
1 1/2 tsp. salt, adjust to taste
1/4 tsp. Garam Masala powder
2 tbsp. chopped coriander leaves
Water as needed
*These 3 can be omitted if you don not have them.
Instructions
Finely chop onion and ginger in a food processor or finely by hand.
Heat oil in a pan and add cumin or mustard seeds, cardamoms, cloves, bay leaves. Once seeds splutter, add garlic and fry for a minutes.
Add onion and ginger and fry until medium brown.
Add turmeric, coriander, chilli powder and salt. Fry for 10 seconds, the oil begins to come off the edges.
Add tinda pieces and potatoes and stir to coat them with the spice mix.
Add 1/2 cup of water and simmer until potatoes and tinda are cooked. I often cook them in a pressure cooker, 2 minutes under full pressure. If using pressure cooker, let it cool before you open it.
Sprinkle Garam Masala and close the lid, for flavours to infuse.
Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with Chapatties or Plain Parathas.
