Tindla Channa Recipe, vargoli Sabji, How To Make Tindla Channa Recipe

Tindla Channa is a spicy Maharashtrian curry made with boiled pieces of Tindora or Ivy gourd cooked with desi channa blended together with coconut, roasted peanut and spices in spicy thick gravy. This is an authentic and traditional Maharashtrian style recipe that can be eaten as a side dish with dal rice, sambar rice, roti, chapatti or phulka. Tindla or Tindora is a green vegetable which is popular in many parts of India and is known by many names such as Ivy gourd, Tondli, giloda, kovakai, dondakaya, tondekayi etc. It is a very typical vegetable eaten by most people from the Indian subcontinent.

The simplicity of this recipe is mainly the subtle and nutty flavours which are comforting to the palate. Tindora vegetable blends well and either be cooked on its own or mixed with other vegetables like potato. They are also added in many sambar recipes. Generally Tindora is used for making stir fries or masala curries. Some of the remarkable recipes of Tindora or Tindla are Dondakaya Vepudu (Tindora fry), Dondakai Pappu Koora (Tindora & Channa masala), Tindora chutney, Tindora rice, Bharli Tondi Tindora Masala (Stuffed Tindora masala), Tindora pickle etc.

Tindla is a humble vegetable and blends well with other veggies and spices. It is prized mainly as it’s rich in beta-carotene and is known to have medicinal properties. Ivy gourd or Tindora or Coccinia indica as its biological name has immense health benefits. Desi channa or kala channa is the other excellent ingredient used in this recipe making the dish highly nutritious. Desi chickpea are dark brown in colour and is used in making various snacks or side dish in a main meal such as Black Channa Curry, Harabara Channa Soup, Kadala curry (a popular traditional Kerala style curry), Kondai kadalai pachadi, etc. It is also added in salads and soups.

Chickpea is highly nutritious pulse and places third in the list of food legumes throughout the world. It is an excellent source of protein. There are mainly two types of chickpea produced i.e. Desi and Kabuli. It is a type of pulse and staple food in many countries and plays an enhanced role in the diets of most vegetarians around the world. Channa is a powerhouse packed with nutrients, rich in proteins, dietary fibre and complex carbohydrates with a horde of vitamins and minerals. It is low in fat with zero cholesterol and because it is a plant food, it contains potentially health-beneficial phytochemicals. Because of their high nutrient content, beans and peas may be considered both as a vegetable and as a protein food.

To prepare this appetizing and delicious Tindla Channa, firstly soak desi channa or kala channa overnight in water. Next day boil and keep aside. Wash and cut Tindora or Tindli into pieces and boil them until they are slightly soft and tender. Keep them aside.

Heat oil in a pan and when it becomes hot, add mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds start crackling, add cumin seeds, curry leaves, chopped green chillies and chopped onions. Add salt and sauté until the onions are slightly browned.

Add pinch of hing, turmeric, red chilli powder, coriander powder and garam masala powder. Add tindora pieces, desi channa or kala channa and mix well. Cover the pan with a lid and cook over a slow flame for 3 minutes.

After 3 minutes, remove the lid, add pinch of sugar, 1 ½ tsp of roasted peanut powder, freshly ground coconut and mix thoroughly. Simmer and cook for just a minute or two. Sprinkle coriander leaves and switch off the flame. Serve with rice, roti or bhakri.

Channa in combination with cereals or vegetables has been successfully used to treat protein energy malnutrition in children. As channa has the lowest glycaemic index among food grains, the carbohydrates in channa breaks down more slowly gradually releasing glucose in the bloodstream, which can be valuable in a diabetic diet Kala channa, or black chickpeas, is usually used in exotic, Indian recipes making the dish delicious with distinctive flavour. As most of us know that pulses are a good source of protein and high fibre, so trying these recipes is a very tasty way of having nutritious food and enjoy new flavours and taste.

Enjoy Cooking!