If I had to choose my final meal ever it would be this Tindora Recipe. Tindora nu Shak with Gujarati dal, some fresh rotlis on the side, rice and yoghurt. Tindora is also referred to as Ivy Gourd.
I am not vegetarian but this is one of my favourite Indian dishes. Maybe because I don’t make it often. It brings back nostalgia and leaves my belly content. Sometimes the simplest dishes are the best.
What is Tindora
Tindora is a popular vegetable in India and is used to make Gujrati curries. It grows in the tropical climates.
Tindora grows on a vine. It is also known as Coccinia grandis or Ivy Gourd, Tendli, Kovakka.
The inside of Tindora looks like cucumber and some refer to it as Indian gherkin. It has a mild sour taste when eaten raw (and many say you should not eat it raw). Like many vegetables, it has health benefits.
The inside looks like mini cucumbers. Ivy Gourd is also
Tindora is a brilliant ingredient for vegetarian dishes especially South Asian curries. Here is an article on Time India stating the lesser known benefits for Ivy Gourd.
Most south Indian supermarkets sell Tindora. It costs about £4 for 600 grams. Tindora should be green outside and a cream colour inside.
How to cook Tindora (Ivy Gourd)
Tindora should always be cooked. I have not had it in any western dishes. It is a great addition to stir fries and the Tindora Nu Shak I have made below is a dry curry.
It is enjoyed with plain rotli, Gujarati Daal and plain rice. My gujarati dal recipe aka red dal can be found here on my masala dosa post.
The recipe below is my favourite Tindora recipe. Also known as Tindora and Makai Nu Shak ( Tindora and Sweetcorn Curry).
Tindora Recipe (Tindora Sabzi)
This curry is simple and full of aromas from the rye, methi, hing along with Indian spices from the masala dhaba. Here is more information on what a masala dabba is (aka Indian Spice Tin).
The addition on tinned sweetcorn to this Shak adds in more texture and flavour.
Start by washing your Tindora and slicing it. I have always loved it round but you can slice it long ways and into 8’s. This part takes the longest.
Thinly slice your onion. chop your tomatoes, drain your sweetcorn and measure out all the spices.
Heat a thick based pan then add in oil. Let the oil heat up and then add in your dry whole spices (cumin, mustard seeds, fenugreek and asafoetida). As soon as these hit the oil it should sizzle (so be careful )and within seconds you should smell the aromas. You don’t want to over cook these spices.
Add your sliced onions within 30 seconds. Stir and let this cook until transparent. Unlike traditional Indian dishes where the onions need to cooked until they are caramelised red brown, you only need to cook these until soft. Now add in your ginger garlic paste and green chilli, stir and cook for 1 minute.
Add in whole dry spices ( dhana jiru, garam masala, haldi, red chilli powder and salt) then add in your Tindora and Sweetcorn.
After combining the mixture, cover and let this cook for 10 minutes and stir again.
Now add in the chopped tomatoes, combine and let this cook covered, ensuring you stir ever 10 minutes. Cook until the Ivy Gourd is soft and the tomatoes are soft too.
Serving Tindora Nu Shak
Serve with chapatis. I enjoy mixing it with boiled rice, Gujarati daal and yoghurt too. The latter is a nostalgic combination.
How to Store Tindora
Fresh Tindora should be stored in the fridge no longer than a week, depending on the condition they were bought in.
Cooked Tindora Nu Shak can last in the fridge for 3 days. You can freeze it and let it thaw totally overnight in the fridge. To reheat, empty the tindora nu shak in a pan and cook until piping hot.
Tindora Curry ( Ivy Gourd Curry)
Ingredients
- 600 grams tindora ivy gourd
- 1 can sweetcorn 165g drained weight
- 100 grams sliced onions approx 2 onions
- 2 tomatoes 200 grams
- 1 1/2 tsp ginger garlic paste 20 grams
- 3/4 tsp green chilli 8 grams taste depending
- 1 tsp jiru dry cumin seeds
- 1 tsp rye whole mustard seeds
- 1/2 tsp methi dry fenugreek seeds
- 1/4 tsp hing asafoetida
- 2 dhana jiru dry ground coriander and cumin poswder
- 3/4 tsp turmeric haldi
- 1/2 tsp garam masala indian spice
- 1/4 tsp red chilli powder
- 1 1/2 tsp salt to taste
- handful chopped coriander
Instructions
- Start by washing your Tindora and slicing it. I like them round but you can slice them longways into 8’s. This part takes the longest hence why the prep time is longer on this recipe
- Thinly slice your onion. Chop your tomatoes into small cubes and drain your sweetcorn.
- Heat a thick based pan then add in oil. Let the oil heat up and then add in your dry whole spices (cumin, mustard seeds, fenugreek and asafoetida). As soon as these hit the oil it should sizzle and may splatter.
- Add your sliced onions within 30 seconds. Stir and let this cook until transparent.
- Now add in your ginger garlic paste and crushed green chilli, stir and cook for 1 minute.
- To this mixture add in your masala dabba spices ( dhana jiru, garam masala, haldi, red chilli powder and salt). Stir let this cook for 30 seconds to release the flavours.
- Add in your chopped Tindora and Drained sweetcorn and combine. Cover the pan so the steam aids in the cooking process. Cook for 10 minutes and mix to ensure it does not stick to the bottom of the pan.
- Now add in the chopped tomatoes, combine and let this cook covered, ensuring you stir ever 10 minutes.
- Cook until the Ivy Gourd is soft and the tomatoes are soft too. The tomatoes will release some water and steam to enabling the cooking process.
- Sprinkle your chopped coriander and stir through before enjoying.
Another good easy vegetarian curry is this Edamame Bean Curry. It is high in protein and really tasty.
