Name: Maharashtrian Tondli Bhaat
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 70 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: ¾ cup Basmati Rice, soaked and drained; 125 g Ivy Gourd, slit vertically into four pieces; ½ Onion, thinly sliced; 1 tbsp Goda Masala, authentic Maharashtrian spice blend; ½ tsp Mustard Seeds; ¼ tsp Ground Turmeric; ½ tsp Red Chilli Powder; 1½ tbsp Freshly Grated Coconut, for garnish; 6 Cashews, split into halves; 1½ tbsp Cooking Oil; ¾ tsp Salt, to taste; 1½ cup Water, hot water preferred

1 hr 10 mintotal

40 min hands-on30 min hands-off

Prep 15 min · Cook 25 min

Serves: 2
Difficulty: Medium
Spice: Medium

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Method

In a heavy pan or pressure cooker, heat the cooking oil. Add the mustard seeds and let them splutter. Then add the finely sliced onions and sauté them until they turn translucent.
Add the split cashews. Stir-fry them for 60 seconds until they turn pale golden.
1 min
Add the lengthwise-cut ivy gourd (tondli) to the pan. Fry over medium heat for 4-5 minutes, until the pieces soften and blister on the surface.
4–5 min
Turn the heat down. Add the turmeric powder, red chilli powder and the goda masala. Stir well so the spices coat the vegetables evenly.
Drain the soaked basmati thoroughly. Add the grains to the pan. Fold them through very gently, toasting the rice in the spiced oil for 2 minutes without breaking the grains.
2 min
Pour in the measured hot water and add the salt. Bring it to a rolling boil. Cover tightly straight away, turn the heat right down, and leave it to simmer without lifting the lid for 12-15 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is cooked through.
12–15 min
Turn off the heat. Let it rest, undisturbed, for 10 minutes. Fluff it gently with a fork, scatter over plenty of freshly grated coconut and serve.
10 min

How to tell it's done

Fluffy, separate grains of rice soaked in a dark, aromatic spice mix, set against the slight crunch of the well-spiced tondli.

Getting it right

Tip

Goda masala is the flavour of this dish. Generic garam masala will not stand in for it: goda masala carries a sweet, aromatic signature that comes from stone flower (dagad phool) and well-roasted coconut.

What to serve it with

Serve it piping hot, with an ice-cold cucumber raita, a fire-blistered papad, and a spoonful of ghee over the top.

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Ingredients