Tinda belongs to the gourd or melon family, which includes such vegetables as ivy gourd (known popularly as pumpkin), ash gourd (known as Chinese winter melon) and squash gourd (known simply as squash). In India, tinda is considered a delicacy and cooked in many wonderful ways like stir-fried with spices, stuffed and baked or cooked in spicy gravy.

Ingredients of Tari Wale Tinde

2 x 440-gram round gourd (Tinda)

6 tbsps pure ghee or light vegetable oil

¾ tsp cumin seeds

60 g/2 oz thinly sliced onions

1½ tsps ground cumin

2 tsps ground coriander

¼ tsp turmeric

¼ tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste

5 tbsps canned tomato puree, or 155 gram chopped or pureed fresh tomatoes

2 tsps salt

2 tbsps chopped fresh coriander leaves

Method of preparing Tari Wale Tinde

Drain the tinda pieces, pressing them gently to squeeze out excess water. Cut large pieces in half, so that all the pieces are of approximately the same size.

Heat the ghee in a deep heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat. When the ghee is very hot, add the cumin seeds. When the cumin turns dark, add onions, and fry until they turn dark brown, stirring constantly to prevent burning. Add ground cumin, coriander, turmeric and cayenne pepper. Stir rapidly for 5 seconds and add tomato puree. Cook the puree for about 3 minutes until it thickens and the fat begins to separate from it.

Add 600 ml boiling water and salt. Reduce heat and simmer the sauce, covered, for 10 minutes. Add drained tinda pieces, and continue simmering for an additional 5 minutes. Turn off heat. To make the dish taste mellow and more flavourful, stir in a couple of tablespoons of ghee or oil. Check for salt and serve sprinkled with minced coriander leaves.

Tari wale tinda is simple and light dish should be served with bread, such as Whole Wheat Puffy Bread or Baked Whole Wheat Bread, or a simple plain pilaf. A serving of dal, such as Buttered Black Beans, or Spice- and Herb-Laced Split Peas is a good side dish. For an additional side dish, serve a yogurt salad, either Dumplings in Fragrant Yogurt or Spinach and Yogurt Salad. Relishes like Vegetable Relish or Raw Onion Relish, and Mint Coriander Dip or Sour Mango Relish go very nicely with this meal.