Name: Bharwa Tinda
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 300 g Apple Gourd, tinda, small and tender, peeled and cross-slit keeping the base intact; 1 tbsp Gram Flour, besan, dry roasted; 1 tsp Fennel Powder, saunf powder, essential for stuffing; 1½ tbsp Ground Coriander, dhania, forms the bulk of the masala; ½ tsp Ground Cumin, jeera powder, roasted; ½ tsp Ground Turmeric, haldi; 1 tsp Red Chilli Powder, adjust to taste; 1 tsp Dried Mango Powder, amchur; ½ tsp Garam Masala, adds warmth; 1 tsp Salt, to taste; 2½ tbsp Mustard Oil, divided (1 tsp for masala, rest for frying); 1 tbsp Coriander Leaves, finely chopped

45 mintotal

Prep 20 min · Cook 25 min

Serves: 2
Difficulty: Medium
Spice: Medium

Add to your week

Method

Prepare the Masala: In a small bowl, combine the roasted gram flour, fennel powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric, red chilli powder, dry mango powder, garam masala, salt, and fresh coriander.
Add 1 teaspoon of raw mustard oil to the dry spice mix. Rub it with your fingers to bind the spices. It should feel like damp, crumbly sand.
Take each peeled and cross-slit tinda (apple gourd) and gently pry it open. Stuff the dry masala mix generously deep into the slits. Press the tinda gently to seal it. Repeat for all pieces.
Heat the remaining mustard oil in a wide, flat-bottomed pan with a tight lid on medium heat until it smokes. Lower the flame completely.
Carefully place the stuffed tindas in the hot oil. Keep the heat on the lowest setting. Cover the pan.
Cook for 20-25 minutes. Every 5 minutes, use tongs to gently rotate each tinda so it roasts and softens evenly on all sides without burning the stuffing.
20–25 min5 min
If you have any leftover dry masala, sprinkle it over the tindas during the last 5 minutes of cooking. (If the pan gets too dry and the spices begin to burn, sprinkle exactly 1 tablespoon of water).
5 min
Check if the tindas are easily pierced with a fork. Once completely tender and slightly shriveled, turn off the heat and serve.

How to tell it's done

Incredibly soft, buttery, and slightly wrinkled green gourds yielding to a robust, tangy, and heavily spiced dry-roasted core.

Getting it right

Tip

Selecting the right vegetable is crucial. Buy small, bright green, and tender tindas. Mature, large tindas have hard seeds inside and will not soften properly even after prolonged cooking.

What to serve it with

A premium, dry summer vegetable dish. Outstanding when served with crisp, triangular Parathas and a side of Boondi Raita.

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Ingredients