Recipe for Gujarati-style Tendli (parwal)

This one is an unlikely candidate in a recipe book, especially in a Punjabi one. But this website is called Basic Indian Recipes and true to its name, here is something I picked up when I lived in Ahmedabad. Our cook used to make this and she called it 'tendli'. The name has stuck, though not many people know this vegetable as that. It is also a cousin of the wider known parval (albeit a thinner one).

I love the crunch in this. But most of all, I love the simplicity of flavours (it only has amchur and salt) and the ease of cooking it. It really is the simplest sabzi I have ever made. You should try it too (and this from a self-confessed tori-lauki-kadu etc. hater).

Recipe
  
Serves 2
Time taken: 30 minutes

Ingredients

Tendli - 250 gm
Salt - To taste
Dry mango powder (amchur) - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds (zeera) - 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric Powder (haldi) - 1/3 tsp
Oil - 1 tsp

Method

1) Wash and cut the tendli. Each piece to cut into 4, lengthwise. So cut into half lengthwise and then again.

2) Heat the oil in the kadhai (wok). Add cumin seeds and mustard seeds.

3) When they splutter, add the tendli. Mix well. Cook on medium heat for 2 minutes. Add the salt, haldi and amchur. Mix, cover and cook on low heat for another 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

5) It's done when it is cooked through but still has a bite (not mushy). Serve with chapatis and dal.