Easy Ginger Garlic Tindora Stir Fry (Ivy Gourd Recipe)
This Easy Ginger Garlic Tindora Stir Fry is a nutritious and delicious plant-based dish featuring tindora (ivy gourd), a crunchy, nutrient-rich vegetable widely used in South Asian cooking. This vegan side dish pairs well with veggies, breads, and meats, and is ready in under 20 minutes.
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This is such a quick, flavorful, and healthy vegan stir fry made with tender tindora (ivy gourd), ginger, garlic, and aromatic spices. Including prep time of peeling and chopping some of the ingredients, this recipe can be ready in 20 minutes and serves 4!
This ginger garlic tindora stir fry pairs beautifully with rice, roti, quinoa, or noodles — perfect for weeknight dinners, plant-based meal plans, or healthy cooking inspiration.
Table of contents
What Is Tindora (Ivy Gourd)?
Tindora is a short, green edible gourd that resembles a small cucumber but has firmer flesh and a slightly bitter raw taste.
Tindora (which goes by the scientific name of Coccinia grandis), also known as ivy gourd, kowal, or scarlet gourd, is rich in dietary fiber, vitamins, and minerals, making it a great choice for healthy meals.
When we first came across Tindora, my daughter remarked that they looked a lot like GMO’d miniature cucumbers, kinda like the miniature animals at Tanglewood Farms here in Georgia.
But, they are a lot firmer to the touch than cucumbers. Cut them open, and they have tons of vertically arranged seeds. Tindora are also said to have a higher nutritional value.
If you bite into a raw piece of Tindora, it is super crunchy (a lot more crunchier than cucumbers are), but raw tindora leaves behind a slightly bitter aftertaste. As I’m not a huge fan of that bitter aftertaste, I prefer to enjoy Tindora cooked.
Where to Buy Tindora?
The first time I happened on Tindora was at Cherian’s – a South Asia store I frequent in Decatur, GA.
If you’re in or near Georgia (e.g., Atlanta, Decatur, Athens) you can often find fresh tindora at:
- South Asian grocery stores, like Cherian’s andPatel Brothers.
- International food markets like Super H Mart.
- Local farmers’ markets with Asian produce sections, like the Buford Hwy Farmer’s Market.
For first-timers, ask staff for ivy gourd, tendli, dondakaya, or kowakkai — all common regional names.
Ingredients
- Olive oil
- Red onion or Yellow Onion
- Garlic cloves
- Fresh ginger
- Tindora (ivy gourd)
- Coriander powder
- Smoked paprika
- Turmeric powder
- Lime juice
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Optional toppings: peanuts, chili flakes, fresh parsley, or cilantro
Directions
- Step 1: Rinse Tindora and slice them lengthwise. Peel and chop the onion, ginger, and garlic.
- Step 2: Add oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté 5 minutes or until translucent.
- Step 3: Add garlic, ginger, sliced tindora, coriander, smoked paprika, and turmeric. Stir well.
- Step 4: Squeeze fresh lime juice over the vegetables and continue to cook, stirring often, for about 8 minutes, until tender but still slightly crisp.
- Step 5: Remove from heat, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
Top with peanuts and chili flakes for extra crunch and spice.
Serve warm with rice, quinoa, noodles, or your favorite grain.
Serving Suggestions
This ginger garlic tindora stir fry pairs beautifully with:
- Yellow rice or saffron quinoa & lentils
- Black rice noodles, as seen in these pictures
- Fresh roti and chutney on the side
- This side dish can also be served with vegetable curries and chicken or pork dishes.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Quick & easy: Ready in under 20 minutes — perfect for busy weeknights.
Healthy & vegan: Plant-based, gluten-free, and rich in fiber and antioxidants.
Flavorful spices: Ginger, garlic, and aromatic spices enhance the natural taste of tindora.
Tips for the Best Tindora Stir Fry
- Cook for 7–9 minutes, depending on your preferred crunch level, do not overcook.
- Adjust spices to suit your palate — add cumin, garam masala, or curry leaves for more flavor.
- Use fresh lime and herbs to brighten the dish just before serving.
The first time I shared tindora on here, I made a curry with it as the star. That Tindora Curry has been one of my most popular recipes on here.
F.A.Q.’s
To reduce bitterness, wash tindora thoroughly, slice it lengthwise, and cook it over medium heat with oil and spices. Stir-frying for 8–10 minutes helps soften the vegetable and balances its natural bitterness.
Yes, tindora and ivy gourd are the same vegetable. “Tindora” is a common Indian name, while “ivy gourd” is widely used in English and international markets.
Yes, this Easy Ginger Garlic Tindora Stir Fry is a healthy, low-calorie, and fiber-rich dish. Ivy gourd contains vitamins A and C and is suitable for vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free diets.
Cooked tindora has a mild, slightly earthy flavor with a texture similar to zucchini or green beans. When sautéed with ginger and garlic, it absorbs spices well and becomes savory and aromatic.
If tindora is unavailable, you can substitute zucchini, green beans, or carrots. While the flavor will differ slightly, these vegetables work well in ginger-garlic stir fry recipes.
Yes, tindora stir fry can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2–3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop for best texture.
Leftovers of this Easy Ginger Garlic Tindora Stir Fry can be stored in an air-tight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
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Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 red onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced/chopped
- 2 tsps ginger freshly grated
- 3/4 lb tindora washed and cut length-wise
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1/2 lime
- 1 tsp parsley fresh, chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
- peanuts chili flakes to serve with (optional)
Instructions
- Add olive oil to a pan and when slightly warm, add in the onions and saute about 5-6 minutes or until they are translucent.
- Add in the ginger, garlic, tindora., coriander, smoked paprika, and turmeric and stir well. Squeeze the lime half over the tindora stir fry and mix the lime juice in as well. Let tindora cook, stirring frequently for about 8 minutes.
- Add in the fresh, chopped parsley and stir. Remove from the heat. Season with salt and pepper. If you’d like, toss in a bit of peanuts as well as chili flakes and enjoy with rice, millet, quinoa, or noodles.
Notes
Nutrition
You are totally right that more unique fruits and veggies are popping up in large grocery stores lately. I, too, saw a jackfruit recently…I had no idea they were so huge! But I remember your recent post talking about how to cut one. Good to know, and good thing I didn’t just buy that jackfruit and cut it like a watermelon! So I’m not familiar with Tindora, and I don’t think I’ve seen any around here. I wonder if the Indian market down in Albany carries these? We don’t go down often (it’s a bit of a drive), but I’ll keep an eye out for the next time we go. We love stir fry, and-no lie-we made stir fry 3 nights last week! This sounds like a delicious way to mix it up a bit. Thanks for sharing about Tindora!