Selection and storage
Tinda gourd is available around the year in the Asian markets. Tinda squash can be easily bruised owing to its smooth, delicate skin and should be handled with care. Farmers generally pack them in cardboard boxes to markets to protect their skin.
Choose firm, bright, young, and spherical tinda squashes in season. Buy fresh, average-sized fruits with clean blossom tips and stem spots.
Avoid large, tough skin as they are over mature and therefore, unappetizing. Also, avoid any, if spotted with a surface blemish, damaged, cuts/punctures, etc.
At home, keep a vegetable tray inside the refrigerator for use within 1-2 days. Avoid extended storage in the refrigerator since they sustain a chill injury.
Preparation and serving methods
Before employing them in cooking, wash tinda squash in clean running water and dry them using a clean cloth. Peeling is not always necessary. If you wish, gently peel very superficial skin.
Given their spherical shape, tinda squash makes perfect vegetables for stuffing. You can also use them cut diced or in slices as you desire in the recipe. They can also be employed as a wonderful substitute for recipes that call chappan kaddu (Indian summer squash), bottle gourd, small squashes, or similar cooked cucurbit fruits.
Here are some serving tips:
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Peeled, fresh and tender tinda squash cubes/slices can be eaten raw in salads.
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Prepare Punjabi style, tinda masala sabzi with tomatoes, garam masala powder, onion and garlic.
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Prepare simply masala stuffed (bharwan tinda recipe) or more exorbitant Shahi tinda recipes with stuffed paneer, cashews, raisins and spices.
Safety profile
Tinda squash consumption rarely causes allergic reactions. However, inadvertent consumption of unfit, bitter fruit results in poisoning due to toxic compounds such as cucurbitacin.
Toxicity occurs when a raw bitter (toxic) tinda gourd is consumed either directly or in the form of juice.
Incidents of serious illness and deaths have been reported in India after the consumption of bitter tinda gourd and bottle gourds. Symptoms may include vomiting, stomachache, and diarrhea and can occur within minutes of ingestion of poisonous juice which may follow serious illness like bleeding from the gut, shock, and death.(Medical disclaimer).
Also read ≻≻
≺≺ Chappan kaddu nutrition facts.
≺≺ Snake gourd nutrition facts.
≺≺ Crookneck squash nutrition facts.
≺≺ Bottle gourd nutrition facts.
≺≺ Back to Vegetables from tinda gourd (Indian squash) nutrition. Visit here for an impressive list of vegetables with complete illustrations of their nutrition facts and
health benefits.
≺≺ Back to Home page.
Further reading:
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Asian melons (PDF).
