Ivy gourd, little gourd, Indian gherkin are all just a few of the common names for this little vegetable. It grows in the tropics as a vine. The fruit may be eaten immature and green, or mature and deep red. The young shoots and leaves may also be eaten as greens. It is a great source of micro-nutrients - including Vitamin A & D and is said to aid in the control of diabetes. For me - it is a fresh vegetable that mom used to spice up and serve.
I don't have mom's recipe but I found one that is probably just as good on another blog: Foodie's hope. This recipe was lovely because it employed fresh roasted spice. I recommend adding some garlic and chillies to funk up the dish a bit.
Ingredients:
1 lb Tendli sliced longitudinally
2 tomatoes chopped
1 small bunch Cilantro
1 tsp Mustard Seeds
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 red Chilly (or as many as you like)
Curry Leaves (15 or so)
1 Onion
1-2 Tbsp Tamarind Juice
Fresh ground masala (below)
Masala:
1 tbsp Coriander Seeds
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
1/2 Fenugreek Seeds
1 tsp Mustard Seeds
1 tsp Peppercorns
Turmeric
1 tsp Rice
1 tbsp Coconut
HOW TO:
1. Roast and grind masala and keep aside.
2. Heat oil, add: Onion, mustard & cumin seeds, curry leaves.
3. Add cut Tendli ,fry for some time.
4. Pour in 1 cup or more of water to cook the vegetables.
5. Add in tomatoes, chilies, little tamarind juice.
6. Last add fresh ground masala, and allow the mixture to simmer gently to reduce and thicken.
4. Add salt to taste.
5. Garnish with cilantro.
Steve and I have decided to include this delicious vegetable as part of our repertoire of unusual vegetables to be grown on Fitina farms.