In India cordia is known by different names in different places. In Rajasthan, North India, it is known as Lasode or Labede. Whereas it is called as Gunda in Gujarat.
Cordia/Labede is used as a key ingredient in making pickle in many parts of India and it is very delicious.
My wife makes a spicy and delicious sabzi (dish) of Cordia. Cordia is boiled and de-seeded. Then stir fried with oil and dry masalas over low flame for about 30-40 minutes. Cordia is a very sticky vegetable. Its stickiness disappears while cooking on a slow flame for a long time. It can be made in a large amount and kept in the refrigerator. It can be then reheated and consumed within a week.
Ingredients
500 gm Cordia/Labede/Lasode/Gunda
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
½ teaspoon cumin seed
A pinch of asafetida
½ teaspoon red chili powder
½ teaspoon garam masala
½ teaspoon coriander powder
½ teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon coarsely grinded fennel seed
½ teaspoon amchoor (raw & dry mango) powder
Salt to taste
1 ½ tablespoon Vegetable oil
Method
Remove the stem from Cordia / Labede.
There are two ways on how to proceed from here.
You can either boil them in water till they become soft. (This is the traditional way of doing it)
Then remove from water.
Or
You can place all the cordia / labede in a plastic bag and microwave them for about 7-8 minutes on high power. (With this method, roasting the cordial / labede will take less time in the later stage, as the cordial will not absorb extra water in the microwave).
Cool all the cordia / labede at room temperature.
De-seed all the cordia / labede. For this, press the each cordia / labede with your right hand thumb and first two fingers. The seed along with a sticky glue-like substance will automatically come out of cordial / labede.
Now heat the oil in a Kadhai/wok.
Add asafetida.
Add cumin seeds.
Add turmeric powder.
Add all the de-seeded cordia /labede and salt.
Mix them well with the oil.
With the help of a spatula, lightly crush all the cordia /labede.
Cover the Kadhai with a lid.
Cook it over a slow flame for 7-8 minutes.
Open the lid and stir the cordia / labede.
Add all the masala in the cordia / labede and mix it well.
Now cook it over a slow flame, uncovered, for about 40 minutes or until the stickiness of cordia / labede will disappear and the whole dish will become little roasted and of golden color. Keep stirring from time to time.
Pour it in a serving dish.
Serve with parantha and any Indian curry.
you can also make this as a stuffed veggie... my mom makes by stuffing it with a mixture of Gram flour, oil, salt, sugar, turmeric powder, garam masala, red chilli powder and coriander-cumin powder (this c-c powder is half the amount of gram flour). this mixture is stuffed in the seedless gunda (not boiled) and then heat oil in the kadhai n add stuffed gunda and cpver it with a deep dish tha tis filled with water.... the sabzi is ready when gunda are tender and they taste amazingly delicious when they are a little burned... one can also add the remaining gram flour mixture to the sabzi...
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tips. I will be sure to try it out.
ReplyDeleteI will try to cook accordingly
ReplyDelete