This Tindora nu Shaak, or Tindora Sabzi recipe, is an easy Gujarati curry prepared with ivy gourd and basic spices. This vegan tindora recipe is gluten-free and can be ready in 15 minutes.
What is Tindora nu Shaak
Tindora nu Shaak has different names such as Tindora Sabzi, Tindora fry, Kovakkai fry, Dondakaya fry. These various names are due to the different regions in India in which this ivy gourd recipe is prepared.
It is a dry tindora curry or stir fry recipe that can be included in your everyday meals.
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.
There are many benefits of ivy gourd, one of the most well known is they help in reducing blood sugar levels. This green vegetable is also packed with essential nutrients, just like this Karela Nu Shaak .
Ingredients
Full measurements can be found in the recipe card below
Ingredients are available in Asian grocery stores
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 vegetable oil, sunflower or mustard oil all of which are used in Indian cuisine.
Sugar – sugar and lemon is often added to Gujarati curries. It doesn’t make the curry sweet but enhances the flavours. Alternatively, add 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. Tindora are an expensive vegetable to buy in the UK.
Add curry leaves to the hot oil.
I always prepare authentic Gujarati Tindora nu Shaak, prepared without onion and garlic but you can add it if you wish.
How to make Tindora nu Shaak / Tindora Sabzi
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
Tindora Sabzi is a lightly spiced dry vegetable side dish recipe.
For a complete meal Tindora nu Shaak is best served with Gujarati chapatis (Indian bread) and a combination of dal rice. As this is a Gujarati curry, dal such as Gujarati Toor Daal , Urad dal or Chana Dal goes best.
For a Gujarati Thali , serve with kachumber , raita, 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
Zucchini Sabji
Kobi Bateta Nu Saak
Valor Ringan Sazi
Brinjal Fry (Ringan Na Palita/Patika)
Bharela Bhinda (Gujarati stuffed Okra)
Sev Tamatar Ki Sabzi
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!
Don’t forget to follow me on social media using the buttons below – I can’t wait to see you all there!
- YouTube
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
- ⅛ 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 tsp 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, 1/2 tespoon mustard seeds, 1/8 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, 1/2 tespoon turmeric powder, 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder, 1 teaspoon coriander powder, 1/4 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.
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
- ⅛ 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 tsp 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, 1/2 tespoon mustard seeds, 1/8 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, 1/2 tespoon turmeric powder, 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder, 1 teaspoon coriander powder, 1/4 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.
Mango Kalakand is a delicious Indian sweet made with mango pulp, paneer, milk powder and cardamom. This easy mithai is perfect for festivals and special occasions. I shape them into balls for a fun twist!
Kalakand is traditionally prepared by splitting milk to prepare chhena which is then cooked with sugar until the moisture evaporates. Flavourings such as cardamom are then added and the mixture is set to cool. This soft set Kalakand is then cut into squares. It has a moist but grainy texture.
You can also make Instant Kalakand with ricotta cheese which only needs 2 main ingredients!
Different flavourings that you can add are pumpkin kalakand or beetroot kalakand .
This is a quick kalakand recipe because I have used ready-made paneer and milk powder. I love the traditional flavour but adding mango gives it a fresh summery feel.
Instead of setting the mango kalakand mixture and cutting into squares, I made round balls but you can use whichever method you fancy!
Ingredients
Mango pulp – you can use homemade mango pulp or store-bought. Check the pulp if store-bought before using as they can be sour. You will need more sugar if this is the case.
Paneer – you can use store bought paneer which is crumbled or use this homemade paneer method to make chhena.
Milk powder – use full cream milk powder
Cream or Whole milk – you may need a dash of whole milk if your paneer is hard. I used store-bought paneer when making these so needed whole milk to soften the paneer.
Sugar – use some white sugar as the mango pulp will not have enough sweetness to it
Cardamom powder – a must in most Indian mithai, add cardamom powder or crushed green cardamom seeds.
Pistachio slivers to garnish.
How to make Mango Kalakand
Firstly prepare your paneer. Follow my homemade paneer recipe for fresh paneer. Alternatively, crumble store-bought paneer using your hands, a grater or with a short pulse of a food processor.
In a heavy bottomed pan, add mango pulp and cook for a few minutes until it reduces slightly.
Tip in the grated paneer and stir. Add the sugar. The mixture may loosen slightly as the sugar releases moisture.
Cook for a few moments before adding in the milk powder and a splash of milk or cream.
Cook the mixture until it forms a mass and begins leaving the sides of the pan.
Do not overcook as the mango kalakand can become chewy.
Add cardamom powder and mix well.
For Kalakand squares: Pour the mixture into a lined tray and leave to set in the fridge for 2 hours. Once set, remove from the tray and cut into squares
For Kalakand “ladoo”: shape the mixture into equal sized balls using the palm of your hands. You may need to grease your hands with ghee.
Garnish with pistachio slivers.
Storage
Mango Kalakand is a milk based sweet. If you’re living in a warm climate, keep the kalakand in the fridge for up to 5 days.
If living somewhere cool, you can keep the kalakand at room temperature for around 2 days. Keep covered to prevent it from drying out.
Other Mango Desserts
Mango Peda
Easy Mango Kheer
Instant Mango Shrikhand
Mango Paneer Kheer
Coconut Mango Pancakes
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!
Don’t forget to follow me on social media using the buttons below – I can’t wait to see you all there!
- YouTube
Mango Kalakand
Equipment
- 1 Frying pan
- 1 Spatula
Ingredients
- 2 cup paneer or chenna (grated)
- 1 cup mango puree
- ¼ cup sugar powdered
- ¼ cup milk powder
- ⅛ cup cream or whole milk
- ½ teaspoon cardamom powder
Instructions
- Grease the tray, baking pan or glass container and leave it aside.
- In a non-stick or heavy based frying pan add 1 cup mango puree
- Cook the puree for 3-4 minutes to burn off any moisture.
- Add grated 2 cup paneer or chenna, mix well.
- Cook on low to medium flame for 5 minutes, stirring continuously.
- Add 1/4 cup sugar (if using) keep stirring the mixture.
- Then add 1/4 cup milk powder , mix well.
- Pour 1/8 cup cream or milk, and cook. Once the mixture becomes thick, and does not sticking on the sides of the pan, add 1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder .
- Mix well, and then turn off the heat.
- If setting in the tray, pour in greased tray, smooth it out using spatula and leave it to cool.
- Allow mango Kalakand to cool and set for a few hours or at least for 3hours. Once it is set, cut the Kalakand in the desired shape and size.
- Garnish it with slivered nuts, rose petals and edible silver foil.
Peda Shape
- If you want to make rounds like peda, let the mixture cool in another plate.
- Grease your hands with little ghee, divide the mango kalakand in to equal portions.
- Give it a round shape by rolling it in your palms. Garnish it with slivered pistachio nuts.
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.
