This is a quick Goan Indian tindora fry recipe, also called ivy gourd or tendli (in Goa).
Serve it up as a side dish with curry and rice.
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📕 What's the Tindora?
Meet one of my favorite fruits used for savory dishes, the Tindora.
If the name isn't familiar in English, maybe you know it better as ivy gourd, baby watermelon, gentleman's toes, little gourd.
In other languages its is known as Tendli (Konkani), Tondli (Marahti), Tindora (Hindi), Tam lueng (Thai), Tindola or Scharlachranke (German).
This vine grows mostly in people's backyards and are found growing in the wild here in Goa.
It looks like a tiny watermelon, having the same vibrant green color and white strips.
Well actually when the fruit ripens the outside turns bright red, and at that time it reminds me of tomatoes.
The flesh inside is kind of jelly like and quite sticky.
There are a couple of seeds taking up most of the space.
At that point it will remind you of a cucumber, guaranteed!
🥣 How is it used?
Tindora tastes pretty plain, again kind of like a cucumber in my opinion.
When it turns red the tindora gets a bit sour, hence it is better to prepare them when they are still green.
The fruits turns quickly red, that's why I usually boil them right after the purchase, so that they can be stored for a longer period of time.
Those little tindoras can be eaten raw too but its more commonly cooked or boiled before consumption.
In India the tindoras is used in curries, pickles and of course bhajis.
The latter one is my favorite ways of using this delicious little fruit.
🩺 Health Benefits
Tindora contains some useful nutrients worth mentioning, such as Vitamin A, C and Beta Carotene
In general the fruit harbors a vast array of different Vitamins and minerals.
Not only fruits are of used but also the leaves and roots.
These are all used in Ayurvedic medicine to treat various ailments such as diabetes.
It is further an excellent antioxidant and contains antibacterial and anti inflammatory properties.
The tindora was used in traditional medicine to treat Leprosy, Jaundice, and other maladies.
I would love to see this fruit gaining recognition in the food and health world, because its not only healthy but even very tasty.
My favorite way of preparing the fruit is by using it as a spicy bhaji side dish accompanied by rice and curry.
That's exactly the recipe I am going to share with you all today.
👁️ More Goan Indian side dishes
📖 Recipe
Tindora Fry Recipe
Ingredients
To Saute:
- 12 Piece Tindora green
- 1 Tablespoon Oil
- 1 Onion sliced
- 1 Tomato cubed
- 1 Teaspoon Turmeric Ground
- ½ Teaspoon Chilli Powder
- Pinch Salt
- Pinch Black Pepper Ground
To Garnish:
Instructions
- Before you cook the tindora, cut off the ends and discard. The fruit should be cut into wedges, as shown and keep aside.
- Cut the Onion into slices and cube the Tomato.
- Add the Oil to the pan on slow heat and fry the Onion and Tomato for 3 minutes.
- Now add the tindora pieces to the pot and stir fry the whole content for a few minutes.
- Throw in the spices, salt and pepper to season the dish and around half a cup of water to allow the bhaji to simmer for 10 minutes till the ivy gourd is slight tender but not too much! Don't forget to stir occasionaly so that it doesn't stick on.
- Garnish the plate with freshly grated Coconut for an amazing taste experience!
Too good is all I can say!!! I was looking for a tendli recipe as m not too fond of the traditional one with hing n saansva tadka, when I came across this….. Simple, quick n delicious!
Thank you so much Siya for your lovely comment, I absolutely appreciate it that you took the time to leave us a message here with you feedback. =)
So glad of course that you enjoyed the tendli bhaji recipe as much as we do here in Goa.
Cheers!
am from Goa n cook this veg regularly..just wanted you to know that when you cut open the veg and see it orange, you should discard it..use only the green ones...thanks
Hi Swati! Thank you for mentioning this here. Yes it is partially correct what you said, yet it isn't necessary to discard the pink or slight red ones. They are not harmful to the health and the taste isn't altered either. I tried to research more about this point, unfortunately it isn't that much researched yet, so we will have to wait to see what the Institutes say to that.
Although I have never tried the ivy gourd, if I come across I want to give it a try. Sprinkle of coconut flakes to this dish just bring it to a next level. Very flavorful meal!
Your space is packed with information and I missed coming here for so many days. Life's just getting in the way.
love ivy gourd and love the Goan adaptation of this tasty vegetable. We have a Goan lady in our office and I find her bringing this dish to work atleast once a week.
That looks like such a yummy thing to cook with - and as you said - kind of like a cucumber/watermelon hybrid to me - I've never heard of it at all! I wish I could find such things here... I bet it would go really well in a stir fry too with cashew nuts and red chilli!
I love tindli and every now and then we do add toasted coconut. But we usually never make it with onions and tomatoes. Surely trying your recipe next.