Parwal (Pointed Gourd / Padwal)

Pointed gourd, padwal on a Pune vegetable list and parwal further north, cut young so the seeds inside stay soft and white. Left on the vine too long it develops hard seeds and a spongy middle, and that is what puts most people off the vegetable.

It comes off our farmer members' plots and reaches you within a day of being picked, grown with vermicompost instead of chemical fertilizers.

Scrape the skin lightly, slit each one and stuff it with coconut and peanut masala for bharli padwal. Round slices fry down well in a plain fodni of mustard, hing and turmeric. Bengali kitchens cook it as potol dorma and in dalna. It also makes a light bhaji simmered with moong dal.

Sold in 500g and 1kg. Store loose in the fridge for up to five days, never sealed in plastic. Other gourds in season include dodka and karela, all under vegetables.