Ingredients

• 500 gm. tinda, peeled and quartered

• 1-2 medium potatoes (optional), peeled and cut into thick wedges.

• 2 medium sized onions, peeled and roughly chopped

• 1/2 inch piece ginger, peeled and roughly chopped or shredded

• 1-2 cloves of garlic, crushed or shredded (garlic is optional)

• 2-3 tbsp. oil

• 1 tsp. cumin or mustard seeds

• 2 brown cardamoms*, broken

• 2 bay leaves*

• 1 inch piece of cinnamon*

• 1 1/2 tsp. coriander powder

• 1 level tsp. turmeric powder

• 1/2 tsp. chilli powder, adjust to taste

• 1 1/2 tsp. salt, adjust to taste

• 1/4 tsp. Garam Masala powder

• 2 tbsp. chopped coriander leaves

• Water as needed

• *These 3 can be omitted if you don not have them.

Instructions

1. Finely chop onion and ginger in a food processor or finely by hand.

2. Heat oil in a pan and add cumin or mustard seeds, cardamoms, cloves, bay leaves. Once seeds splutter, add garlic and fry for a minutes.

3. Add onion and ginger and fry until medium brown.

4. Add turmeric, coriander, chilli powder and salt. Fry for 10 seconds, the oil begins to come off the edges.

5. Add tinda pieces and potatoes and stir to coat them with the spice mix.

6. Add 1/2 cup of water and simmer until potatoes and tinda are cooked. I often cook them in a pressure cooker, 2 minutes under full pressure. If using pressure cooker, let it cool before you open it.

7. Sprinkle Garam Masala and close the lid, for flavours to infuse.

8. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with Chapatties or Plain Parathas.