This delicious Tindora Recipe (Ivy Gourd) is a great gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan meal option. Gram flour (besan) is added for extra protein, and the lightly spiced curry cooks in just 25 minutes.
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The tindora (ivy gourd) is part of the cucumber family and looks just like a cucumber in miniature form. It's one of the few varieties of edible gourds and has a slightly crunchy texture. I did not grow up eating it in Pakistan, but I've grown to love it over the past 25 years here in the USA.
This ivy gourd is specific to Africa and Asia and can usually only be sourced at a South Asian store. When buying the tindora, look for a bright green color on the outside and white firm flesh on the inside. When prepping the ivy gourd, discard any red pieces on the inside. Tindoras don't have a long shelf life, so it's best to cook them as soon as you buy them.
I like to serve this Tindora recipe with lentil curry, like my easy moong masoor dal or lentil curry with tamarind. Although I never need meat when I enjoy this Tindora recipe, Shami kabab or Seekh kebab are great pairings.
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Why you'll love this tindora recipe
- Quick and easy - This delicious tindora recipe has a cooking time of only 25 minutes, which makes an easy weeknight meal.
- A refreshing addition to a menu - This fun and different tindora recipe is perfect for when you want to try something new.
- Great Vegan and Gluten-Free Option - Perfect for a vegan and gluten-free meal option.
Ingredient notes
- Tindora - Also known as Ivy Gourd, this vegetable can be sourced at a South Asian grocery store.
- Gram flour -This is different from chickpea flour. Gram flour, or besan, is made from ground split grams. You can substitute with store-bought chickpea flour if this is difficult to source.
- Mustard seeds - Black mustard seeds add a delicious savory flavor to the tindora recipe.
- Cumin seeds - Earthy cumin seeds add aroma, flavor, and texture to the tindora recipe.
- Curry leaves - The citrus notes of curry leaves add fragrance to the ivy gourd curry.
- Amchur powder - I always love to add amchur powder to my vegetable curries right at the end. It has a delicious sour taste that most people fall in love with.
Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients, measurements, and recipe instructions.
Substitutions & variations
- Bake or stir fry the tindora - If you don't have an air fryer, toss the ivy gourd in oil and bake it at 400? for 30 minutes. You can also use the traditional shallow frying method for this tindora recipe.
- Add lentils instead of gram flour - Switch it up and cook the tindora with some urad daal instead of gram flour. After adding the spices and some water, add ½ cup of soaked lentils. Cover and cook the daal along with the curry leaves.
- Try the curry with some potatoes - Cut the potatoes into lengthwise strips, lightly fry them, and then finish cooking them in the curry with the tindora.
- Slice the tindora into round discs - Many people like to cut it into tiny discs for their tindora recipe.
- Add peanuts and coconut - Instead of gram flour, crushed roasted peanuts and some desiccated coconut add a delicious and different flavor to the curry.
Step-by-step instructions
To prep the tindora, cut off both ends and cut each piece lengthwise. Toss these in cooking oil and air fry at 400? for 10 minutes before starting with the steps below. Also, dry roast the gram flour and set it aside to use later in this tindora recipe.
- First Step - Heat the remaining oil, dice the onions and saute.
- Second Step - When the onions are translucent, add the mustard and cumin seeds and temper.
- Third Step - After about 30 seconds, add in the garlic and ginger paste and temper.
- Fourth Step - Add in the air-fried tindora and mix everything.
- Fifth Step - Add all of the spices except for the amchur powder. Fry this mixture for a minute.
- Sixth Step - Add ½ a cup of water to help finish cooking the ivy gourd.
- Seventh Step - Toss in the curry leaves, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Eighth Step - Uncover, turn the flame to medium-high, add the gram flour and amchur powder, and roast until the water is dry and the mixture is cohesive.
Expert Tips
- Add the gram flour - The tindora has a light, mild flavor and slightly crunchy texture. Adding the besan gives the recipe more depth and adds texture and protein. Don't skip this ingredient.
- Don't overcook the tindora - Overcooking the ivy gourd makes it limp and soggy. The tindora should have a little crunch for the best results.
- Cut and air fry or bake and freeze to preserve shelf life - I like to buy my vegetables in bulk, cut and air fry them, and then freeze them in batches. Fresh vegetables will release water when defrosted and become soggy if frozen directly. The air fryer dries that excess liquid and par-cooks the tindora, resulting in a better texture and shortened cooking time.
Recipe FAQS
The best substitute for tindora is zucchini. The texture of the curry will be slightly different as zucchini is not as crisp as the ivy gourd. Try and find small sized pieces with thin skin and cut them in long thin strips and then follow the recipe instructions as provided.
Tindora looks just like a small cucumber and has a similar crunchy texture. The taste is mild and neutral with a slight bitter aftertaste when raw. Once cooked with other ingredients, the bitterness goes away.
Tindora curry after it's cooked can be kept in the fridge for upto 3 days and frozen for upto 3 months. Defrost overnight and reheat in the microwave to serve.
Other vegetable recipes you may like
For more Pakistani recipes like this, check out 20 popular Pakistani recipes. If you decide to try this recipe, Please don't forget to leave a rating and comment below! If you take a picture, tag me on Instagram! Thank You!
Tindora Recipe (Ivy Gourd)
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Ingredients
- 3 cups tindora (ivy gourd) (see notes)
- ⅓ cup cooking oil (see notes)
- ¼ cup roasted besan (gram flour) (see notes)
- ½ yellow onion
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon garlic paste
- 1 teaspoon ginger paste
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon amchur powder
- ½ cup water
- 10 curry leaves
Instructions
- Wash and dry the ivy gourd.
- Cut off both ends and slice each tindora in half lengthwise. (see notes)
- Toss the prepared tindora with 2 tablespoons of the cooking oil and air fry at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. (see notes)
- Use this free time to dry roast the (besan) chickpea powder and then set it aside for later.
- Dice the onion and start to saute it. (see notes)
- Once the onion is slightly cooked down, add the mustard and cumin seeds, and bloom the mixture for 30 seconds. (see notes)
- Add the garlic and ginger paste and saute for 30 seconds.
- Add in the air-fried tindora and mix well.
- Mix in all the spice powders except the amchur powder along with the water, cover, and cook for 5 minutes. (see notes)
- Uncover and add in the curry leaves and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Add the gram flour and amchur powdfer last and cook until all the water is gone. (see notes)
chef.moham
Thank you, Nosheen Babar, for sharing this flavorful Tindora Recipe. It's delightful to see a dish that combines ease with nutritional benefits, making it accessible for both vegetarian and vegan diets. However, it would be helpful if you could include more detailed nutritional information for those tracking their intake more closely. Nonetheless, your recipe is a great addition for anyone looking to diversify their meal options with quick and healthy dishes. Keep up the great work!
Nosheen Babar
Hi Chef Moham,
Thank you for your kind words regarding the recipe. I don't add nutritional information because I lack the credentials to do so (not a physician or nutritionist) and don't want to misguide people. Thank you for taking the time to read the post and rate my recipe. I'm glad you enjoyed it.