Kundru/Tindora Sabzi (Indian savory of Coccinia Grandis)

Kundru/Tindora Sabzi

Kundru/.Tondali/Tindora/kovakka is also called Cipherlandra Indica / Coccinia Indica or Coccinia Grandis.It's English name is Ivy-gourd / baby watermelon / gentlemen toe (and sometimes misleadingly Gherkin). It is a green color an inch long fruit having white stripes. Its flesh is white / pale yellow when unripe and becomes red when ripe. Ripe fruit tastes a little sour and becomes hard so not good for making savory. Tender green fruit is best for making savory. 

The tender fruit of Kundru is rich source of protein, fibers, calcium,beta-carotene and vitamin A B, C and many micro-nutrients. 

Kundru plants is considered medicinal herb in ayurveda. The juice of it's leafs is applied on fore -head and is  helpful in bringing down fever, reducing headache, helpful in sunstroke. The fruit is very good for peolpe suffering from type 2 diabeties. So its savory/ sabzi is not only tasty and nutritious but has medicinal value also. 

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Servings: 4 medium servings

Nutritional value of savory made from 250 g of Kundru (Coccinia Grandis): 

Energy-140K cal

Fats 14g (Mono and Polybsaturated)

Protein 3.0g

Sugars 0g

Sodium 2.25 mg

Potassium 80mg

Carbs 8 g.

Cholestrol 0g

Fibers 4.0 g

Iron 3.5 mg

Calcium 100 mg

VitaminB1,B2,B3 ,A ,C, 

Water

Ingredients Required To Make Kundru bsabzi (Coccinia. Indica Savory):

• Kundru: 250 gm
• Mustard Oil: 1 tablespoon
• Cumin seeds: 1 Teaspoon
• Mustard seeds: 1/2 Teaspoon
• Dry Red chili: 1
• Turmeric Powder 1/4 Teaspoon
• Salt: 1 Teaspoon or to taste

Directions For Making Kundru Sabzi:

• Wash kundru nicely and towel dry then.
• Remove the tip and the stem from it.
• Cut them lengthwise to 2-3 mm. thick slices. My kundrus were small so sliced them to four pieces lengthwise. If you desire you may cut thyem to round pieces also but make sure that the pieces are not too thick.

Sliced Kundru

• Crush dry red chili.
• On high heat in a thick bottom wok heat 1 tablespoon of mustard oil or any other cooking oil. I prefer mustard oil because it has mono and polysaturated fats which are good for health as they promote formation of HDL (good choloestrol).
• When the oil is hot add cumin and mustard seeds. When the seeds start spluttering add crushed red chili.

Cumin, Mustard seeds and Crushed red chili cooking in mustard oil

• When red chilies change the color immediately add sliced Kundru. Mix nicely and bring the heat to medium. 

Kundru slices added to oil with Tempering

• Add tuemeric powder and salt. Mix nicely.
• Now again bring the heat to high and keep on stirring the ingredients in the wok while they are cooking on high heat. 

• Do not cover. Sprinkle 10-20 ml. of water and keep cooking for another 5 minutes. 
• Please note that heat is to on high and continuoius stirring is required. After 5 minutes of cooking on high heat switch off the heat and cover the wok. Let it cool. 

Cooked Kundru Sabzi

• Kundru sabzi is cooked.The kundru pieces will be soft and slightly crysp not gooey.

Kundru Sabzi

Take it out in a serving bowl. Serve with Dal-chawal/roti/parantha.

Tips:

• Wok or cooking pan shoulod be thick bottomed.
• Since the taste and falvor of Kundru is very delicate thus too many spices are not added while making sabzi. Too many spices will overcome the atste and falvor of Kundru.
• While cooking high bheat is required with constant stirring so that kundru are cooked evenly and do not turn gooey. Kundru sabzi tastes best when it has a little bite to it. El dante.
• Sprinkling little water makes sure that sabzi does not get burnt and moisture is maintained.

Alternate Suggestions:

• One medium size potato can be thinly sliced and cooked with kundru. If you are using potato my suggestion would be that sautee it for 2-3 minutes before adding kundru, this will ensure that potatoes are cooked properly.
• Chili powder can be added according tob taste. I prefer not to so that kundru flavor predominates.