Tag

zucchini

Browsing

We are back from a ten-day vacation. My vegetable garden is relatively new, and I am anxious to check how it has fared with only the timed sprinklers watering it.

Not bad!

The plants are still alive, and the two zucchini plants I cultivated are spread thickly over the plot. Peeping out from under the foliage, I spy a bit of zucchini. I pull at the fruit. It is over one foot long. It is the largest I have seen, and it has a companion. These were just beginning to grow when we left on our trip. That’s when I learned that zucchini grows very fast, so it’s a good idea to keep an eye on them when they grow so you can harvest them young and tender.

The Indian equivalent of zucchini is a gourd called Toree. It has a mild, slightly sweet flavor. Like most squashes, it takes on the flavor of the seasonings and spices it is cooked in.

I cook zucchini with a five-seed seasoning called panch pooran (five seeds). I add a little heat to this dish to counter the slight sweetness of the zucchini. Panch Pooran seasoning is available at Indian grocery stores, but I have included a recipe for it in the notes. It goes good with squashes and cabbage.

Tori Panch Pooran Sabzi (Five-Seed Zucchini Vegetable)

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4
Sautéed with exotic seeds, this dish goes well in a wrap or as a side with roti, dal, or rice.

Ingredients

  • 4-6 medium zucchini
  • 1 tsp 5-seed seasoning
  • 1-2 small dry red chilies (more or less, to your taste)
  • ¼ tsp red chili flakes (more or less, to your taste)
  • ½ tsp turmeric powder
  • ½ tsp salt (more or less, to your taste)
  • 2 tbsp cooking oil

Panch Pooran Tadka

  • 1 tsp mustard seeds
  • 1 tsp coriander seeds
  • 1 tsp fennel seeds
  • ½ tsp fenugreek seeds
  • ½ tsp onion seeds (you can substitute 1 tsp cumin seeds for the onion sees.)

Instructions 

  • Wash the zucchini. Cut the stalk end. Split the zucchini in half length-wise and then again in half length-wise. Chop into bite-sized bits. Don't cut the bits too small, as they get squishy fast.
  • In a wok or skillet, heat the oil on medium heat. Lower heat to medium-low and add the red chilies, give them a stir, and let them darken for about 30 seconds. They are pungent, so don't inhale, or you will start coughing!
  • Add the five-seed seasoning, wait 30 seconds for it to crackle and pop, then quickly add the turmeric powder.
  • Stir for a few seconds before adding the zucchini.
  • Stir until the zucchini is nicely coated.
  • Turn the heat up to medium and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the zucchini is done(approximately 10-15 minutes).
  • You can leave the vegetable crunchy or soft to your liking. You do not have to add water as the zucchini releases enough moisture to cook in.    
  • This dish goes well in a wrap or as a side with roti, dal, or rice.   

Panch Pooran Tadka

  • Toss all the ingredients together and store them in ajar.
  • Fenugreek is a bitter seed; if you are not used to it, you can reduce it to 1/4 teaspoon.
  • Panch Pooran can be used when fixing different squashes and cabbage.

Notes

Watch the stove's heat as you do not want the tempering to burn.
Click here for Gobi (Cabbage) Panch Pooran.
_______
Home-grown Tori!
Course: Side Dish, Vegetarian
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: sabzi, tori, zuchinni