Also known asTindora · Tondli · Kovakkai · Coccinia grandis
Name: Ivy gourd, also called tindora, tondli, kundru, dondakaya, little gourd or scarlet gourd (Coccinia grandis) — a small, slender, finger-shaped, green gourd with pale stripes, and crisp, mild, slightly tangy flesh.
Description
Ivy gourd is native to Africa and Asia, and is a staple vegetable in South Asia and Southeast Asia, where it is grown on trellises and vines. In India it is called by many regional names and is eaten in stir-fries, curries and pickles, and in Thailand, the young shoots and leaves are also eaten. It has spread as a weed in some places, such as Hawaii and Australia.
The tender, young fruits are firm and crunchy, with a flavour somewhere between cucumber and green bean, and become sweeter when ripe and red. They are cooked quickly, and keep their texture in stir-fries.
Main nutrition value
Ivy gourd is low in calories, and provides vitamin C, vitamin A, fibre and some calcium and iron.
How best to be consumed
Ivy gourd is cooked, and sometimes eaten raw when young.
- Slice into rounds or sticks, and stir-fry with mustard seed, turmeric, cumin and chilli, as in Indian tindora sabzi.
- Stuff and fry, or add to curries and sambar.
- Pickle in oil and spices, as in South Indian cooking.
- Eat the young shoots and leaves in Thai soups and stir-fries.
- Choose firm, bright green, young fruits, and avoid ripe red ones for savoury cooking.
Overconsumption could cause…
Ivy gourd is safe in food amounts, with a few considerations.
- Lowering of blood sugar in large amounts, so people on diabetes medicines should check with a doctor.
- Bitter fruit, which should be discarded.
- Digestive upset from large amounts.
- Spreading as an invasive weed if grown in warm climates.
Wikipedia — Coccinia grandis, used for origin, naming and history: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coccinia_grandis
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