Ingredients:

• 250 g – kundru
• 2 tsp – oil
• 1 tsp – Mustard Seeds
• 1 tsp – cumin/cumin powder (optional)
• 5 – dry Red Chillies
• 2 tsp – dry Coriander seeds
• 1 tbsp – Bengal gram/channa dal
• 2 tsp – Urad Dal
• 4-5 – Black Peppercorns
• 1.5 tsp – Fenugreek seeds
• 2 tsp – coconut, grated
• 1 tsp – ready sambar powder (you can leave it out and add 1 more Red Chilli and an additional tsp of coriander seeds)
• 1 pinch – Asafoetida
• 2 tbsp – chopped coriander leaves.

Method:

1. Heat 1 tsp of oil.
2. Splutter mustard seeds.
3. Once they stop popping, add channa dal, urad dal and pepper.
4. Roast for a minute.
5. Add asafoetida, cumin (if using powder, don’t add now), red chillies, followed by fenugreek seeds and coriander seeds.
6. Take off the heat when chillies turn bright red and fenugreek seeds turn a darker shade of golden brown.
7. Let it cool down.
8. Grind along with sambar podi (and cumin powder if using) into a coarse powder.
9. In the meanwhile, wash and nip the ends of the kundru
10. Make ‘plus’ shaped slits down three-fourths the length of each vegetable.
11. After this, you can either pressure cook it for two whistles or microwave uncovered with some water sprinkled 4-5 times for 2 minutes each time.
12. Spoon a little ground masala into each of the slit vegetables.
13. Heat a tsp of oil in a wok.
14. Splutter mustard seeds and cumin (if using).
15. Gently drop all the stuffed vegetables into the wok and add salt.
16. Stir fry for 5 minutes and check if the vegetable is thoroughly cooked.
17. If not, add some water and cook for a while longer.
18. Once cooked, add chopped coriander, mix well and serve.
19. Recipe courtesy: foodiliciousnan