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Tinda Gourd for Delivery or Pickup
The Instacart guide to Tinda gourd products
About the Tinda gourd
Also known as the Indian apple gourd, Indian squash, or round melon, the Tinda gourd is a relatively small gourd averaging about 2 to 4 inches in diameter. It belongs to the cucumber and squash family as it grows on vines that can reach 3 to 6 feet in height. Once the ripe gourd is removed from the vine, a new one will start to grow in the same location.
The gourd's appearance resembles a cross between a pumpkin and an apple, often looking like a flattened green apple. Its skin can vary in color, with some of the more common shades including yellow, green, and brown. The gourds also have small, semi-prickly hairs that cover the surface.
Since the gourd is native to India, it's very popular in Pakistani and Indian cooking. When served on its own, the gourd tends to have a slightly bland taste, so most people add seasonings and seasonings to it.
How to pick out a Tinda gourd
Although the gourd is available year-round, its peak season is in the spring. When looking at the gourd, immature ones will have thin and edible skin. You want a gourd that features a deep-green color and doesn't have blemishes or darkened areas. Its stem should look fresh and green as well. When fresh, the white flesh is tender and moist, oftentimes filled with small edible seeds. Its taste is mild and similar to that of a cucumber.
By the time it reaches maturity, the gourd loses the outer hair and develops a waxy coating, enhancing its shelf life. If they become overly mature, the skin turns thick and is difficult to eat.Â
What types of dishes can you use with a Tinda gourd?
The Tinda gourd is a popular vegetable in India, Pakistan, and South Asia. When cooking with it, consider roasting, stir-frying, grilling, or baking it. It's used commonly in stews, soups, and curries. The gourd is often cooked whole and added with numerous types of Indian spices. You can also roast and eat the seeds as a crunchy snack. Before preparing the gourd, however, make sure to run it under water and use a clean cloth to dry it. Peeling the gourd isn't always necessary, but peel off a thin layer if you want to.
Some common ways of enjoying the gourd include the following:
- Eaten raw: Sprinkle fresh and tender peeled gourd cubes or slices with seasonings, and add them to salads.
- Stuff it with a filling: Slice the top off of the gourd, and stuff it with vegetables or meat.
- Add to sabzi: This popular, flavorful Indian vegetable stew is the perfect dish for Tinda gourd.
- Make kootu: Another Indian dish, kootu, is a gravy curry made with dal and a variety of Indian spices.
If you're busy looking through recipes and trying to figure out what delicious dish to use a Tinda gourd in, save yourself some time and order through Instacart. Open the Instacart app, add the gourd to your cart, and an Instacart shopper will get started on your order. You can even have your gourd delivered to your house in as little as 2 hours!
Tinda Gourd Near Me
Buy your favorite Tinda Gourd online with Instacart. Order Tinda Gourd from local and national retailers near you and enjoy on-demand, contactless delivery or pickup within 2 hours.
FAQs about Tinda gourd
Keto diets focus on non-starchy vegetables, especially ones that are low in sugars and carbohydrates. So yes, you can enjoy Tinda gourd if you're on a keto diet. You can boil the gourd and season it with salt and pepper for a healthy and keto-friendly meal. Also, since the vegetable is composed of approximately 94% water, it has very few calories, which can help if you're trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
If you have fresh Tinda gourds, they're best kept in the refrigerator. You can wrap it in a plastic bag, and it will stay crisp for up to one week.
Since ancient times, the Tinda gourd has been known for its medicinal value in addition to its culinary use. Its health benefits include alleviating stomach and liver issues. The vegetable detoxifies the kidneys by boosting the secretion of fluids, so all accumulating toxins are removed. It also promotes weight loss as it contains high amounts of dietary fibers that the stomach can easily process, keeping you fuller longer and reducing cravings.
You can also make a gel from the vegetable for additional health benefits. Remove the peel from the gourd, scrape out the seeds, and place it in a blender without water. It creates a gel, which you can use to combat sunburn and rashes as it calms down the skin and leaves it moisturized and soft. Its gel can also promote skin growth when you penetrate it deep into the layers of the scalp as it protects follicles.