Aloo Tinda ki Sabzi: Potato Apple Gourd Curry

Home-style aloo tinda ki sabzi, cooked with tomatoes and spices.

If tinda is unfamiliar to you, here’s an intro:

Tinda is called apple gourd in English, a name it gets from its resemblance to small green apples. The vegetable is commonly found in North India and gets a bad rap for being “boring”. I might have agreed with that adjective a few years ago, but time has led me to become quite fond of this squash. I wish good-quality tinda was as easily accessible elsewhere as it is in North India. If you do find it, get hold of small spotless ones to make this aloo tinda curry.

You Need:

• Potatoes (aloo) – 250 grams
• Apple gourd (tinda) – 400 grams
• Tomatoes – 2 large (~2 cups when chopped)
• Onions – 2 small (~1 cup when chopped)
• Garam masala – 1/4 teaspoon
• Pepper powder – 1/2 teaspoon
• Red chili powder – 1/2 teaspoon
• Coriander powder – 1/2 teaspoon
• Cumin powder – 1/2 teaspoon
• Turmeric powder – 1/4 teaspoon
• Salt – to taste
• Asafoetida powder – a pinch
• Fenugreek seeds – 1/4 teaspoon
• Mustard seeds – 1/2 teaspoon
• Oil for cooking (mustard or peanut) – 2 tablespoons

How To Make Aloo Tinda ki Sabzi:

1. Before you cook: prep the vegetables

Peel the tinda, potatoes and onions.

Chop the tinda into halves, or quarters if they are large. Chop the potatoes into similar sized cubes. Slice tomatoes and onions into small pieces.

2. Cook

Heat two tablespoons of oil in a kadhai or pan.

When the oil is hot, add to it fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds and asafoetida powder.

As soon as the seeds splutter, add chopped onions to the hot oil and let them cook till translucent (about 2 minutes).

Then add the potato and tinda pieces.

[Note: If the potatoes are of the tough variety, add them first and cook them for a few minutes. Then add the tinda a few minutes later.]

Stir the vegetables to coat them with the oil, and cook for two minutes.

Add the dry spice powders: coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric powder, red chili powder, pepper powder, garam masala.

Sprinkle salt to taste, and tip in the chopped tomatoes.

Cook for two minutes, then add half a cup of hot water.

Let the curry come to a boil, then set heat to low. Cover and simmer till the vegetables are cooked. (~10minutes)

Aloo tinda ki sabzi (potato apple gourd curry) is ready.

Serve hot.

Meal below: tinda aloo ki sabzi with chapatis and homemade dahi.

Notes:

Also try a tinda-only curry: tinda masala.

Check out other potato-squash/gourd combinations: lauki aloo, potato pumpkin masala, ridge gourd potato in poppy seed paste.