Tendli is viewed by many as a bland veggie. However, because of its dull and boring flavour, it can be blended among several ingredients to make delectable recipes. Tendli or Dondakaya is a versatile veggie that can be prepared in a plethora of ways. This South Indian vegetarian recipe features Tendli which is tossed with a wonderful blend of spices. Tendli Upkari is a regular recipe that is consumed happily at home with chapatis, rice and dal. This is the original Konkani-style version of the Tendli Sabzi. It uses no onion and no garlic. It is a simple vegan recipe that is readily prepared in no time with just a few ingredients. It is a basic stir-fried Tendli sabzi to fill your stomach with homely and healthy meals amid your busy schedules.
Tendli Upkari Palya is a dry vegetable curry. It contains very little oil, a lot of seasonal ingredients, and hardly any seasonings. It is a cool, fresh dish appropriate for summer.
Tendli is known by various local names. The Hindi name of Tendli is tinda or tindora. The Marathi and Konkani word for this is Tendli. It is known as Ivy gourd in English and Kovakkai in Tamil. Tendli is a great vegetable to include in your diet as it is high in fibre, beta-carotene, and other crucial nutrients. Due to its medicinal qualities, it is also classified as a herb in Thai and Ayurvedic medicines. Tendli is a magical vegetable for good skin too! What more benefits do you want from a simple and elegant veggie? It also goes well with a diverse array of Indian staples. So indulge this small veggie with a big bang.
Prep time – 10 minutes
Cooking time – 20 minutes
Servings – 2
Ingredients
- ¼ cup Cashews
- Tendli
- Water, as required
- 1 tbsp Oil
- ½ tsp Mustard seeds
- ½ tsp White Lentils (Urad dal)
- 1 Dried Red chilli
- Curry leaves, few
- 2 Green Chillies, chopped
- 1 tsp Salt, or as per taste
- 1 cup Coconut, freshly grated – for garnishing
Method
- In a bowl, add cashews and pour some water. Soak for 15 minutes. Keep aside.
- Wash and cut Tendli properly. Chop Tendli into vertical halves. Keep aside.
- In a heated saucepan, drizzle some oil.
- Add in all the spices – mustard seeds, white lentils, break the red chilli into half, and a few curry leaves.
- Saute well. Allow them to crackle.
- Now, add green chillies and stir for 30 seconds.
- Transfer the chopped Tendli into the saucepan. Mix thoroughly.
- Add some water and mix.
- Cover and cook for 10 minutes or until the Tendli are cooked soft.
- Remove the lid and keep stirring.
- Add soaked cashews along with some salt, to taste, into the saucepan.
- Mix well.
- Add some water. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.
- Give a nice mix. And add freshly grated coconut over top.
- Mingle and serve.
Enjoy this Tendli Upkari as a full-fledged meal or as a side with sambhar, rasam or chutney.