Tinday Masala
ٹینڈے
Tinda, the small, round, pale green gourd, is one of the most ordinary summer vegetables in Pakistan, and tinday masala is how most homes cook it. On its own tinda tastes very mild, so it relies on a well-fried onion and tomato masala: a proper before the tinday go in, then a gentle covered cook in their own juices. The result is soft gourd pieces in a thick, clinging masala, best with hot roti.
- ⏱ Total: 50 min
- Prep: 15 min
- Cook: 35 min
- Easy
- Serves 4
Method
Tap a step when it is done.
Peel the tinday thinly with a peeler, trim off both ends and cut each into quarters. If the seeds are hard, cut them out; tender tinday need no seeding.
Heat the oil in a over medium heat. Add the cumin and, once it crackles, the onion. Fry for 6–7 minutes until golden.
Add the and stir for 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, turmeric, chili powder, coriander powder and salt. Cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring and adding a splash of water if it sticks, until the tomatoes melt and the oil separates from the masala.
Add the tinday and stir for 2–3 minutes to coat every piece in the masala.
Cover and cook on low heat for 15–20 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the tinday are soft and translucent and a knife slides through easily. They release their own water; add a little only if the masala starts to catch.
Uncover and cook for 2–3 minutes on medium heat, stirring gently, until the masala thickens and clings to the tinday with oil shining on top. Add the garam masala, green chilies and ginger strips.
Scatter over the coriander and serve hot with roti or chapati.
Kitchen notes
Buy small, firm, bright tinday about the size of a small apple. Large ones are woody with hard seeds and never turn properly soft.
Fry the masala fully before adding the tinday. Tinda has little flavour of its own, so an underdone masala leaves the whole dish bland.
The everyday summer gourd
Tinda arrives in markets with the summer heat and stays cheap and plentiful for months, so it turns up on the table often. It is a light, easy-to-digest vegetable, which is why it is commonly cooked for children, for older family members and for anyone feeling unwell. Tinday masala is eaten as a main dish with roti, and it also sits comfortably beside daal, rice and a fresh salad.
Building flavour around a mild vegetable
Tinda tastes gently sweet and almost neutral, a little like a cross between cucumber and courgette. That makes the masala everything. The onions should be properly golden, and the tomatoes cooked down until the oil separates; this gives the dish its depth. After that the tinday cook covered on low heat in their own steam, which keeps the pieces whole while they absorb the masala. A short uncovered simmer at the end thickens whatever liquid they release.
Variations
- Tinday gosht: add 500 g of mutton, cooked in the masala until nearly tender, before the tinday.
- Bharay tinday: hollow out whole small tinday, fill with a spiced onion and gram flour mixture and cook covered.
- With potatoes: a cubed potato added with the tinday makes a more filling dish.
Storing and reheating
Tinday masala keeps for 2 days in the fridge. Reheat gently in a pan, adding a spoon of water if needed. It does not freeze well, because tinda turns mushy after thawing. It is best made fresh, and it only takes about 50 minutes from start to finish.
Questions people ask
Do I need to peel tinda?
Yes, for this dish. The skin is slightly fuzzy and tough. Peel thinly so you don't lose much of the flesh.
Can I add meat to tinday?
Yes. Tinday gosht is a well-loved dish: cook mutton or beef in the masala until almost tender, then add the tinday and cook until soft.
Why are my tinday watery?
Tinda holds a lot of water. Cook it covered only until soft, then uncover and simmer for a few minutes to dry the extra liquid. Avoid adding water at the start.
Nutrition (estimate, per serving)
- Calories
- 170
- Protein
- 2 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Carbs
- 11 g
