Kovakkai Fry, a simple homestyle stir fry using Ivy gourd. It also goes by the name Tendli / Gherkins / Tindora / Dondakaya /கோவைக்காய் , is rich in nutrition, very effective for weight loss and also in controlling diabetes.
Kovakkai Fry / How to make Kovakkai fry / Tindora Stir Fry / South Indian Style Ivy Gourd Fry Recipe / Dondakaya Vepudu / கோவைக்காய் வறுவல்
What is Kovakkai?
Its a tropical vine which is commonly found in the southern Indian states, the raw and young fruits are edible and mostly cooked as a vegetable. It also goes by many names… scarlet gourd, tindora, kowai pazham / kowaikai in Tamil. It has many medicinal properties, primarily rich in vitamin c, its high fiber content relieves constipation, keeps blood sugar level under control and hence good for people with diabetes!
Every time I chop #tindora / kovakkai /ivy gourd …there’s always a few which shows up with red ?seeds on the inside.. thiruttumuzhi ?the moment I see them, the white matter of the brain quickly sends a message… You will get brain fever / brain death if you eat! Reflex pushes them to one corner of the cutting board! Right away my grey matter ? laughs.. Hey, I am already half dead why bother?? off it goes into the pan.
Back home, I have seen my mom, mil, grandma all use to cook those cute baby kovakkai which looked red inside…with that assumption, I have been eating them …..guess as long as you don’t eat them raw you are safe! I don’t know whether it causes brain fever or brain death but definitely strains my brain every time I think about this myth!? Seriously, can a vegetable scare us this much? lol
Anyways, tender raw fruits with white flesh are edible, discard the ones that look too red on the inside, guess it might probably upsets your tummy! Kovakkai suits for almost all type of stir fries, varuvals, poriyals, semi thick masala, gravies, deep frying like bhajji / tempura, even works for variety rice / biryani!
Here are some Kovakkai recipes to try
Kovakkai Masala
Kovakkai Poricha Kootu
TINDORA RICE RECIPE – Kovakkai Sadam – Ivy Gourd Rice
Kovakkai Fry Recipe – Tindora Stir Fry
Dondakaya Vepudu Recipe – Ivy Gourd Peanut Stir Fry – Andhra style Ivy gourd fry
Kovakkai Fry Recipe
Ingredients
Saute
- 3 cups Kovakkai / Tindora / Dondakaya / Ivy Gourd chopped
- 1 teaspoon Ginger Garlic Paste optional ***check notes
- 1/4 teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 1 tablespoon Coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon Red Chili powder
- 1 teaspoon Black Pepper Powder
- 1.5 teaspoon Salt or to taste
- 1/4 cup Coriander leaves
Temper
- 3 tablespoon Oil
- 1/2 teaspoon Mustard seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon Split Black gram
- 1/2 teaspoon Cumin seeds
- 5 each Curry leaves
Instructions
Temper
- Heat oil in a wide stir fry pan. Iron pan works best as it cooks faster and helps to crisp up better compared to a non stick pan.
- Temper with mustard seeds, split black gram, cumin seeds and curry leaves.
Saute
- Add the chopped kovakkai and fry in oil over medium flame for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Now reduce flame to low, cover the pan with a lid and cook the kovakkai for 30 to 45 minutes over low flame stirring every 5 minutes to avoid scorching at the bottom. There is no need to add any water to cook this veggies, as kovakkai is naturally high in water content and that will be enough to cook / steam the veggie.
- In about 30 minutes, open and check if its cooked thoroughly.
- Once it cooks add ginger garlic paste. Adding ginger garlic paste is an optional step, it makes the dry curry full of flavors and also adds a nice crispy crust to the edges texture wise. You may skip or try using some crushed garlic instead.
- Also add turmeric powder, coriander powder, red chili powder, black pepper powder and salt.
- Stir fry for next few minutes until the masala powders browns. In about 10 to 15 minutes, it will brown even more around the edges. The more you fry, the more you brown, the more tasty its gonna be!
- Finally add coriander leaves and stir fry for few minutes over high flame.
- Switch off and serve! This dry curry goes well with sambar, rice or curd rice or as a subji for Chapati!
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