The Mexican Sour Gherkin (Melothria scabra) fits your description, but there are others that could also.

i had forgotten about those! i'm gonna just have to try some and see.... in the pictures, they seem a tad too small, and the description of their flavor seems like they are more like cucumbers and can be eaten raw. these, i've only had cooked in curries. hmmm. i would like to grow the mexican gherkins anyway since they're so darn cute. any tips on growing them? and if there are any other ideas about what i might be talking about, just let me know! they are used in southeast asian curries, but they're pretty rare here, so people don't have them often.

thanks!!

I dont know about those although im going to try them next spring. Are they good? Im growing cornichons this fall, both of the Baker Creek varieties. I cant wait for baby dill pickles!

Tinda or Tinda gourd, perhaps:

Here is a link that might be useful: Seeds of India Tinda Gourd

well, i've kind of narrowed it down. it's not tinda, that's too round. it seems to be some kind of colocynth, but not poisonous. the fruit stays small, though, and oblong rather than round. so, who knows.... but it seems to be some kind of colocynth. thanks for trying, though. once it's really growing, i will post pics.