TENGA

Tenga is an Assamese dish. I love to read Sunday’s Deccan Herald newspaper, because it will have so much new information about food, drinks and travel section. Hence, I got this recipe from there and thought I’ll give it a try. Believe me, it was so damn easy and yummy! It is done using bottle gourd or ridge gourd and you are a non-vegetarian, you can add fish too!

Nutritional benefits:

Bottle gourd:

· This vegetable is used in the menus for patients with diabetes, weight loss, kidney disease, liver and heart disease. This vegetable is included in pregnancy diet too.

· It is high in fiber and has lots of water with low fat and lots of vitamin and minerals.

· Its juice will help during indigestion, stomach acidity and ulcers.

· It is used to treat of allergic and inflammatory disorders such as rhinitis, bronchial asthma, bronchitis and rheumatism.

Ridge gourd:

· Rich in vitamins and minerals like Vitamin C, B2, B1, zinc, iron and thiamine.

· It has been scientifically proven that ridge gourd is very much helpful to induce cerebroprotective effects in different living beings including humans.

· It has been popularly considered as a natural anti-inflammatory vegetable which has a good amount of antioxidants that naturally helps you to get rid of any inflammation.

· It has very high moisture content and is also very rich in fiber. Therefore, when you consume ridge gourd, it makes you feel full to a good extent and thus keeps your appetite satisfied without having to eat much.

· It is also rich in antioxidants and also helps to detoxify the body.

Ingredients:

· Bottle gourd/ Ridge gourd - 2 cup (diced)

· Tomato- 1 cup

· Fenugreek seeds – ¾ tsp

· Coriander leaves – 2 tsp

· Oil – 1 tsp

· Turmeric – a pinch

· Salt to taste

Method:

1. In a kadai, add oil and methi (fenugreek seeds) and let it splatter.

2. Then add tomatoes and bottle/ridge gourd and cook for 2 minutes.

3. Add water till the vegetables are covered. The sabji is meant to be a little watery, so don’t worry if the water is more.

4. Add salt, turmeric and let it boil.

5. When the vegetables are cooked, take it off the stove and garnish it with coriander leaves.

6. Enjoy it with rice, chapathi, roti or anything.