Bihari Kundru Sabji: How To Make

Kundru Ki Bhujia

In 20 Minutes

Kundru sabji recipe, called kundru ki bhujia or bhunjia in Bihar, is the perfect example of a North Indian stir-fried vegetable that is simple and requires few ingredients. At the heart of the dish is ivy gourd, or kundru, a small, cylindrical green vegetable with a mild, slightly sweet flavour and a firm bite when cooked well. Known as kundru in Hindi, tindora in Gujarat, and kovakkai in Tamil Nadu, this vegetable is one of the most widely cultivated gourds across India and one of the most underappreciated. Mustard oil is an important part of this kundru sabji, which is a common choice across Bihar, Bengal, and much of North and East India. The oil is smoked (to lose its sharpness) before frying the ingredients in it. Cumin seeds go into the hot oil first, which crackles, then go in with the garlic and green chillies. This is the base of flavour for the otherwise bland kundru sabji, which absorbs it while cooking. The sliced gourd is added raw and tossed immediately in the spiced oil, every piece coated evenly in turmeric and salt before the heat is lowered and the pan is covered to let the steam do its magic. The final step is to uncover the pan and stir-fry over high heat for the last two minutes for a dry-ish stir-fry finish. Kundru ki bhujia is not meant to have a sauce or gravy; it is a dry stir-fry, and its texture should have just enough char at the edges to give it depth without becoming tough. This is the bhunjia of Bihari kitchens: simple, aromatic, and cooked with certainty. Double or triple the quantity of ivy gourd, and the spice ratios remain the same; only the cooking time increases by a few minutes.