Tendli Dalimbi - Ivy Gourd and Vaal beans

Tendli Dalimbi Bhaji in Marathi

Serves: 3 persons
Time: approx 30 minutes

Ingredients:
1 to 1 and 1/4 cup Dalimbya (soaked, sprouted and peeled) (Step 1)
12 to 15 Ivy gourd (tondali)
For Tempering:
1 tbsp oil, 1/4 tsp mustard seeds, 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds, pinch of Hing, 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp Red chili powder
4 curry leaves
2 tbsp dry coconut, grated
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp jaggery
1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped
2 tbsp fresh grated coconut
Salt to taste

Method:
1) Soak dry Vaal beans into warm water for 10 to 12 hours. Drain after around 12 hours. Put them into clean cheese cloth, gather all the edges and make a tight parcel. Place this parcel at a warm place for sprouting. It will take atleast 10 to 12 hours to get approx 1 cm long sprouts. Put the sprouted beans into warm water. Peel them gently without crumbling the beans. Immerse peeled beans into cold water.
2) Wash the tondli. Cut off the tips. Slice each tondali lengthwise and make 4 to 5 wedges. Immerse them into cold water.
3) Heat a pan, Add dry coconut (grated) and roast over medium heat until color changes to light brown. Remove it from the pan and add cumin seeds. Roast it until color turns to dark brown. Crush the cumin and coconut coarsely.
4) Heat oil in a wok. Add mustard seeds and allow them to pop. Then add cumin seeds, asafoetida, turmeric powder, and red chili powder. Also introduce curry leaves and cilantro. Saute for few seconds and add sliced tondali. Saute, cover and cook for 2 minutes over medium heat. Drain the peeled beans and add to the wok. Saute gently. Cover the pan and let the beans cook nicely. You can put steel plate on the pan and add some water in it. This will help to steam-cook the sabzi. Add Kokum and salt. Also add crushed cumin and coconut.
5) Once tondli and beans are almost cooked, add jaggery and cook for a minute.
Add fresh coconut, garnish with cilantro and serve hot with Chapati.

Tips:
1) For sour taste, little tamarind pulp can be used instead of kokum.
2) Some people prefer this vegetable with little watery consistency. To make it little watery, add little water while cooking the vegetables.
3) Add a tsp of Maharashtrian goda masala or garam masala for make the vegetable more flavorful.