Konkani Tendle Bibbe Upkari

Upkari is a Konkani recipe of stir fry veggies like Green Beans, Ridge Gourd, Pumpkin with a coconut flavor and a couple of spices. Tendli Bibbe Upkari is unique as it is made of raw tender cashew nuts called as Bibbe in Konkani and Ole Kaju in Marathi, available only during monsoon season. This stir fry when made solely with cashews is called as Bibbe Upkari. Nowadays, I prepare this by soaking dry unroasted Cashews and it tastes awesome too. This no onion garlic delicacy is especially made on festive occasions.

Ingredients:
Ivy Gourd/Tendle/Tindora - about 400 gm
Cashews/Kajubi/Kaju - about 1/2 cup
Shredded Coconut (fresh or frozen) - about 1/2 cup
Dry Red Chillies - 2
Curry Leaves/Karbeo/Kadipata - a sprig (optional)
Mustard Seeds/Saasam - 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida/Hing - 1/4 tsp
Green Chillies - 2 (optional)
Jaggery/Gud/Gul - about 1/2 tsp
Salt
Oil

 

How to cook Tendli Bibbe Upkari:

• Soak dry cashews for 5 - 6 hours. Raw, unroasted cashews would be the best alternative for Bibbe.
• Pat the washed curry leaves dry.
• Discard the ends of the washed ivy gourd. Chop each ivy gourd into 4 parts. Slit the green chilies lengthwise.

• Heat about 1 tsp oil in a pan for tempering/tadka/phanna. Add mustard seeds, dry red chilies, asafetida and curry leaves. When mustard seeds start spluttering, add ivy gourd and 1/2 cup water. Cook it covered for about 5 minutes or until ivy gourd is about half cooked.
• Now add soaked cashews, coconut, green chilies, jaggery and salt. Cook it covered until both ivy gourd and cashews are cooked. Add more green chillies and/or jaggery to suit your taste. Brown sugar or Molasses are the best substitutes for jaggery.
  

Enjoy Tendle ani Bibbe Upkari with roti or puri. My personal favorite is Dalitoy, rice, pickles and papad.