Timun or not Timun

Coccinia grandis

Coccinia grandis, the ivy gourd, also known as scarlet gourd, tindora, and kowai timun padang, or timun tikus, is a tropical vine.

It grows primarily in tropical climates and is commonly found in the southern Indian state of Kerala, where it forms a part of the local cuisine.

Coccinia grandis fruit is often consumed raw or cooked.  The young shoots are cooked as a vegetable.

Melothria pendula

Melothria pendula, also known as the creeping cucumber or the Guadeloupe cucumber, is a plant in the Cucurbiteae tribe.

The plant resembles the cultivated cucumber, possessing miniature yellow flowers, similar leaf shape, same leaf patterns, as well as similar growth patterns. The unripe berries strongly resemble minuscule watermelons.

The berries, when unripe and light green can be eaten raw.

Coccinia grandis

Cute’cumber is the name I called this small cute cucumber.   It is about 5cm in length, only a mere 1-fifth of normal cucumber ( Cucumis  sativus ).  Despite its miniature size, it looks almost like a cucumber, tastes just as similar.  

Cute’cumber , is in fact a not-so-far relative of cucumber.  They are of  the same subfamily of Cucurbitoideae, of the family of Cucurbitaceae.  Cucumber is from the Melothrieae tribe ; while cute’cumber is from the Benincaseae tribe, together with watermelon. 

It is a native of wide range of Asia.  In India, it is known as tindora, and many other names, varied from various dialects and languages.  In English, it is called Ivy gourd.   Botanically, it is known as Coccinia grandis, synonym Cephalandra indica.

C. grandis is a dioecious perennial herbaceous vine.  Stem glabrous.  Tendrils simple, axillary.  Leaves alternate, simple, 5-lobed, 3-8 glands near the base.  Inflorescence solitary, white corolla, 5-lobes, 3 stamens, inferior ovary with 5-lobes.  Fruit a berry, smooth, green, red when ripened.

Propagation via cuttings and seeds.

C. grandis is considered a weed in Hawaii, and some other places. 

In India, and S.E.Asia, its young shoots and fruits are consumed as greens. 

Young leaves and shoots are cooked and eaten as veg.

Green mature fruits are eaten fresh in salad, or stir-fried, or cooked in curries.

Ripened fruit is eaten raw.

It contains polyprenol ( C0-polyprenol (1) ) which is anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimutagenic, antidiabetic, antibacterial, antiprotozoal, antiulcer, hepatoprotective, expactorants, analgesis, antiinflamatory.

It is also a god source of several micronutrients, vitamins A and C.