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Shahi Tendli served in a bowl with a spoon in it
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Shahi Tendli | Royal Ivy Gourd Curry

Shahi Tendli is a Bengali curry recipe made with fried tindora or ivy gourd. This Indian sabzi is part of the Shahi cuisine and is delicious! Easily make this restaurant-quality vegan dish at home using basic ingredients! 
Course Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine bengali, Indian
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Servings 4 people
Calories 293.91kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

To prep the tendli

To make the ground paste

To prepare the curry

Instructions

To prep the tendli

  • Rinse tendli under running water. Then chop off the ends and cut them lengthwise.
  • Heat oil in a frying pan and shallow-fry the chopped tendli till they turn light golden brown. Do not crowd the pan, fry them in batches. Place the fried gourd on a paper towel to soak the excess oil. Set aside.

To make the ground paste

  • Then roughly chop and boil onions and tomatoes in water for 7-8 minutes. Add salt as well. Strain and let it cool down completely.
  • Transfer this to the mixer grinder along with tahini paste and poppy seeds and make a smooth paste. Keep it aside for now.

To prepare the curry

  • In the same pan, heat oil. Temper mustard seeds and then add the whole spices like bay leaf, cloves, and cinnamon. Fry for a minute.
  • Next, add minced garlic, ginger paste, and part of cilantro. Fry for 2 minutes.
  • Then add the ground paste and saute for 3-4 minutes, or till the raw smell goes.
  • Now, add turmeric powder and chilly powder along with salt. Mix and bring to a boil.
  • Lastly, add the fried tendli to the pan, mix, and cook for 5-6 minutes on medium flame or till the tendli is well-cooked.

Notes

Fresh or Frozen ivy gourd can be used. If using frozen, thaw overnight. You can also cut them in any shape you want. 
If you want a more rich taste, deep fry the tendli instead of shallow frying them. It will give it a slightly different and crunchy flavor. Substitute tahini paste with raw cashews if needed.
Instead of Tendli, you can also use parwal and prepare this same dish. In fact, you can use this rich gravy to cook any other vegetable like cauliflower, potatoes, tofu, or even green beans. 
This Indian sabzi can be made ahead and stored in the fridge. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days. You can freeze it as well. 

Nutrition

Calories: 293.91kcal | Carbohydrates: 18.49g | Protein: 9.29g | Fat: 22.33g | Saturated Fat: 2.81g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 54.16mg | Potassium: 510.07mg | Fiber: 5.07g | Sugar: 3.22g | Vitamin A: 1220.99IU | Vitamin C: 35.77mg | Calcium: 171.91mg | Iron: 4.12mg