This Tindora nu Shaak, or Tindora Sabzi, is an easy to make Gujarati curry prepared with ivy gourd and basic spices. I don't use onion or garlic. It's vegan, gluten-free and can be ready in 15 minutes. Win!
My tindora nu shaak is a dry tindora curry or stir fry recipe that form part of my everyday meals rotation.
Tindora or Ivy Gourd, scarlet gourd, or kowai fruit is a tropical plant and grows in various states in India. It is a crunchy vegetable and resembles a baby watermelon or small baby cucumber.
Ingredients
Be sure to check out the full recipe and exact ingredient list below in the recipe card.
Tindora - use fresh tindora, ideally a day or two after you purchase them, as they cook much faster and have better flavour.
Green chillies and ginger - crush green chilies and ginger.
Mustard seeds and cumin seeds - alternatively use one or the other.
Spices - red chilli powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder and coriander powder, garam masala powder and hing (asafoetida) Hing is added to curries where onion or garlic isn't used. It helps with digestion. Omit if you do not have it or want to make the curry gluten-free.
Oil - I have used olive oil but you can use a neutral flavoured oil too.
Sugar - sugar and lemon is often added to Gujarati curries. It doesn't make the curry sweet but enhances the flavours. Alternatively, add a little jaggery.
Lemon juice or tamarind - alternatively use lime juice, dry mango powder (amchur powder). If using tamarind, add a small 1 inch piece to the curry. Remove before serving.
Coriander leaves for garnishing.
Optional - these additions are down to individual taste.
Add cut potatoes when adding the tindora in the recipe. Adding potatoes provides flavour and also makes the dish cheaper as it bulks it out.
Add curry leaves to the hot oil.
How to make Tindora nu Shaak
Follow the step by step photos and video recipe
How to cut Tindora (see video in the recipe card below)
Wash the tindora and cut lengthwise into four pieces by cutting into half and half again.
Pressure Cooker Method and Instant Pot
Heat oil in a small pressure cooker (or saute for Instant Pot) and add mustard seeds, when they splutter add cumin seeds and hing.
Add tindora and all the masala powders, salt and ginger green chilli paste.
Mix well and add very little water and cook till 2 whistles.
Or in Instant Pot, pressure cook on high for 1 minute and quick release the pressure
Add jaggery/sugar and squeeze lemon juice. Garnish with coriander.
Stovetop Method
Heat oil in a frying pan on medium flame and add the mustard seeds and a few seconds later the cumin seeds.
Once you hear a splutter, add the hing.
Add in the tindora immediately, the spice mix, the green chillies-ginger and salt.
This is a vegetable fry recipe so there is no need for extra water as the tindora cook in their own steam.
Cover with a lid and cook on low heat until the tindora are tender - between 8-10 minutes.
If it seems the vegetables are sticking, add a tablespoon of water at a time and switch to low flame.
Once cooked, add a pinch of sugar and lemon juice.
Serving Suggestion
For a complete meal I serve Tindora nu Shaak with Gujarati rotlis (Indian bread) and a combination of dal rice. As this is a dry Gujarati curry, dal such as Gujarati Toor Daal, Urad dal or Chana Dal goes best.
For a Gujarati Thali, serve with kachumber, a cooling cucumber raitu or plain yogurt and keri no ras.
Storage
Store leftover tindora sabji in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat before serving.
You can freeze this curry in a freezer safe container. Thaw on kitchen counter before reheating in a pan or microwave.
Other Sabzi Recipes
Brinjal Fry (Ringan Na Palita/Patika)
Bharela Bhinda (Gujarati stuffed Okra)
As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!
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📖 Recipe
Tindora Nu Shaak - Tindora Sabzi Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Frying pan or kadai or Tasla/taslu (Gujarati word for kadai without handles)
Ingredients
- 250 gram Ivy Gourd Tindora
- 2 tablespoon oil
- ½ tespoon mustard seeds or cumin seeds or both
- â…› teaspoon asofoetida a pinch of hing
- 1 teaspoon green chili ginger crushed
- salt to taste
- 1 teaspoon chili powder red (less or more)
- ½ tespoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- ¼ garam masala optional
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice or a small piece of Tamarind
- 1 teaspoon sugar or jaggery
- 1 tablsepoon coriander leaves garnish
Instructions
- First wash tindora under the running water. Pat dry using clean kitchen towel or paper.250 gram Ivy Gourd
- Cut in to lengthwise or rounds using a sharp knife. (check video how to cut Tindora)
- Heat oil in a pan on medium heat add mustard seeds, cumin seeds. When they start to splutter add hing.2 tablespoon oil, ½ tespoon mustard seeds, ⅛ teaspoon asofoetida
- Lower the heat, add cut tindora and mix.
- Then add crushed chili-ginger and four spice masala.1 teaspoon green chili, 1 teaspoon chili powder, ½ tespoon turmeric powder, ½ teaspoon cumin powder, 1 teaspoon coriander powder, ¼ garam masala
- Season with salt and mix well, make sure all the tindora coated with masala.salt to taste
- Cover the pan with the lid and let the tindora cook on low heat for 8-10 minutes.
- In between every 2-3 minutes stir the vegetables to prevent sticking on the bottom.
- Check by pressing a couple of tindora with spatula, if they break easily without much pressure they are cooked.
- Turn off the heat, add sugar and lemon juice. Give it a good mix.1 tsp lemon juice , 1 teaspoon sugar
- Sprinkle freshly chopped coriander on top.1 tablsepoon coriander leaves
- Serve hot.
Video
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
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Anonymous says
I like to eat most subzies with gravy so I wish to know if there is other source of gravy besides tomato puree.
jcookingodyssey says
There are so many other ingredients like cashews, poppy seeds, coconut milk..you can use them to make gravy, however they are high in fat. please check out my other curries recipe.
Meena says
Jagruti, thanks for taking a look at my tindora masala gravy...do let me know what you think, if you happen to try it.
In South India, we make a similar dry subzi with the tindora, but without tamarind...shall try your version, for sure!