Tendli Masala Bhaat | Ivy Gourd Masala Rice

Step by step instructions to make simple Tendli/Ivy Gourd Masala Bhaat, Maharashtrian style. With the addition of lentils, this rice is one wholesome treat!

Tendli/Tondli/Ivy Gourd Rice is my husband’s favorite dish. Tendli or Ivy Gourd is a popular vegetable used in Indian cooking. One can make regular curry with it or add them to rice to make pulav like this. While reading more about it, I got to know that Ivy gourd has been considered as a therapeutic herb in traditional Thai as well as Ayurvedic medication. This was brand new information to me that left me surprised. Ivy gourd includes beta-carotene, an important vitamin A precursor from plant sources. Additionally it is also regarded as an excellent source of protein and fiber. Tendli also has laxative properties and cleans the bowel moments of the body. So yes, it is considered to be one of the nutritious green vegetable. We, Indian use this green vegetable a lot in our day-to-day cooking and create simple and easy recipes with it. 

Tendli/Ivy Gourd Masala Bhaat is my mom’s quick fix rice recipe. While growing up, since I didn’t enjoy the sabzi so much, she would add to rice and convert it into a spicy pulav for me. She had got this idea from our neighbor. They being Maharashtrians, would make Tendli Masala Bhaat often. Many years later, after my marriage to KR, I got to know that he too loves this combo and asked me to make it for him.  I tried to recollect the recipe my mom made and also decided to give it my own twist. This rice recipe is mildly spiced with Indian seasonings and is a perfect dish for a weekend brunch. I have prepared it with basmati rice, lentils and whole garam masala to make this dish even more flavorful. Tendli and rice pair very well with one another and together make a power packed wholesome meal that’s spicy and delicious. 

Wash the rice and tur dal well. Cook them both together in 2 cups of water along with bay leaf, cinnamon stick and peppercorns in a rice cooker. Once done, give it a good mix to separate the grains. Cut tendli lengthwise. In a pan, add the ghee. Once it has melted. temper the cumin seeds and mustard seeds. Then fry the minced green chillies, garlic and ginger. Add the onions and saute it for a minute or two. Add chopped cilantro, turmeric powder, coriander cumin powder and salt. Fry the masala for a minute. It’s time to add the tendli and Homemade Garam Masala. Sprinkle water and saute them for 4-5 minutes. The tendli needs to well cooked and become soft. Now add the cooked rice and dal to it. Mix it all well, check and add salt, garnish with cilantro and take it off the flame. 

Serve this Tendli/Ivy Gourd Masala Bhaat hot with Roasted Garlic & Tomato Raita or Minty Cucumber Raita and some roasted papad. This rice is a welcome break to the regular pulav or the traditional curry. Bhaat also means rice is flavorful with all the whole spices we have cooked it in and the other ingredients come beautifully together to create this delicious meal. Vegetarian cooking is so much fun. One can make interesting recipes pairing different veggies and spices to create a new dish. Plus eating your greens is always a good idea. I like to enjoy my Tendli Masala with KR on a Saturday night watching Sacred Games on Netflix! Now that is how one unwinds!!! 🙂 

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Rice dishes work great at brunch tables, weeknight meals, weekend get-together and at parties. Here are some interesting ones that you can try for next time – Vegan Tomato Basil Rice Recipe, Burnt Garlic Fried Rice, Mint & Pistachio Vegetable Rice, Vegan South Indian Lemon & Chickpea Rice, Vegan Pistachios & Dill flavored Turmeric Brown Rice, Roasted Peanut Rice, Soya Methi Pulav | Soy Fenugreek Rice, Lahsuni Palak Rice | Spinach & Garlic Rice, South Indian Style Tomato Rice and Eggplant Fried Rice | Vangi Bhaat | Brinjal Rice.