Ivy Gourd Vegetable Side Dish (Tendle Upkari/ Tondli chi Bhaaji)

Ivy Gourd or Tendli or Tondli is an adored vegetable in my home. The mere taste, sight and smell of this vegetable takes me back home, my city and all the umpteen memories just flash by in a jiffy. Tendle Upkari or Ivy Gourd Vegetable Side Dish or Tondli chi Bhaaji is a comfort food for me and most of my family members.

The younger and tender the vegetable, the better is the taste of the dish. I am specially documenting this recipe for the newbie Konkani food lovers and individuals learning to cook Konkani dishes. Upkari's are a great way to begin your cooking journey. They are simple, easy to follow and require very less preparation.

Cooking time ~ 20 minutes

Preparation time ~ 10 minutes

Ingredients:

Ivy Gourd (thin tall sliced) - 4 cups

Green Chillies (slit lengthwise) - 2

Grated Coconut - 3-4 tablespoon

Turmeric powder (optional) - 1/3 teaspoon

Asafoetida - 1/4 teaspoon

Salt

Ghee

Water

For seasoning -

Curry leaves - 4-5 leaves

Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Method:

In a deep frying pan, heat few teaspoons of Ghee. Once the pan is hot, add mustard seeds and curry leaves. Allow the leaves to fry and the mustard seeds to pop completely. Stir gently and add the green chillies. Be careful as the chilly seeds could dance around causing potential injury to the eyes. Saute gently.

Add the pre-washed, chopped Ivy Gourd pieces. Mix along with the seasoning. Adjust salt as per taste, add enough water for the vegetables to soak in. Bring to boil and once the consistency reaches the boiling point, simmer on low flame till the water gets evaporated, cover with a lid if possible. Cook till the vegetables get completely cooked. Turn off the flame once done and garnish with grated coconut. Serve warm as a Side Dish.

Here is another way of cooking Ivy Gourd -

Seared Ivy Gourd - Tendley Talasaani