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Tindora nu shaak
Ivy gourd stir-fry
Tindora nu shaak: crisp-edged Gujarati ivy gourd stir-fry
Tindora (ivy gourd) nu shaak is a lunch-box and dinner standby in Gujarat and Mumbai's Gujarati homes: thin rounds of the little gourd stir-fried with mustard seeds and turmeric until they are tender inside and lightly crisp at the edges. It is a dry shaak, eaten with dal-bhaat or rolled into a rotli, and children often like it best. The common mistake is slicing the tindora too thick, which means it either stays raw in the middle or needs water that makes it soggy; cut every round about 3 mm thick. Chef's tip: avoid tindora that is red or soft inside, which means it is overripe and will taste sour. Most hing contains wheat, so buy a gluten-free one if needed.
- Total time
- 28 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 3
Ingredients
- 14 oz ivy gourd (tindora)ends trimmed, sliced into 3 mm rounds
- 2 ½ tbsp groundnut oil
- 1 tsp black mustard seeds
- ⅛ tsp asafoetida (hing)gluten-free variety
Spices
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp red chilli powder
- ½ tsp sugar
- ¾ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp fresh coriander (optional)chopped
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Slice 14 oz ivy gourd (tindora) into thin, even rounds. Discard any with red or mushy centres.
Step 2: Heat 2 ½ tbsp groundnut oil in a wide, heavy frying pan over a medium heat. Add 1 tsp black mustard seeds; when the seeds pop, add ⅛ tsp asafoetida (hing) and then the tindora with ¼ tsp ground turmeric and ¾ tsp salt.
1 minStep 3: Toss well, cover and cook over a low-medium heat for 8 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes, until the slices turn soft and slightly translucent.
8 minStep 4: Uncover, turn the heat to medium and cook for 6–8 minutes more, stirring now and then, until the edges are golden and lightly crisp.
8 minStep 5: Sprinkle over 1 tsp red chilli powder, 1 ½ tsp coriander-cumin powder (dhana jeeru) and ½ tsp sugar and toss for 1 minute. Finish with 1 tbsp fresh coriander and serve.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 130 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 9 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does tindora nu shaak take?
- About 28 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 18 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 3 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of black mustard seeds?
- Cumin seeds, same amount (different flavour, same crackle).
- What can I use instead of asafoetida (hing)?
- A pinch each of garlic powder and onion powder (asafoetida stands in for onion and garlic).
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