Next to okra / vendakkai, kovakkai or tindora is one of our favorite vegetables. This simple kovakkai curry or poriyal is the most common recipe I make with the ivy gourd.
Kovakkai also called tindora in Hindi and Ivy gourd in English is one of my most favorite vegetable (second to okra). As hard it is to get good okra in the Indian stores here, finding kovakkai is not hard and I get very fresh ones in my local Indian store.
The ivy gourd can either be cut in roundels or vertically into thin strips and made into curry, but I personally like the roundels. With just very basic spices, this tindora can be transformed into an amazing curry and it goes very well with rice and sambhar or rasam.
This Kovakkai Curry is what I made as a part of Tamil Nadu special Virundhunar Saapadu! Do make sure to see my complete set up and lunch idea.
One other of our favorite kovakkai recipe to make is this Masala Bhath. It is made with freshly ground spices and tastes delicious.
Other recipes I have in this spread are -
Payatham paruppu payasam
Velarikkai Thayir pachadi / Cucumber raita
Manga Pachadi / Mango sweet chutney
Kadalai paruppu sweet kosumalli
Chow Chow Kootu
Chinna Vengayam Araichu Vitta Sambhar / Pearl Onion Sambhar
Tomato Rasam
Ingredients to make Kovakkai Curry
- Kovakkai – 1 lb (cut into roundels)
- Oil – 1 tbsp
- Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
- Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
- Red chili powder – 1 – 1 ½ tsp
- Salt – to taste
- Curry leaves – few
- Asafetida – ¼ tsp
Procedure –
- Wash and cut the vegetable into thin roundels. I usually par cook the vegetable before frying it, since it cook quickly and uses little oil. Transfer the chopped vegetable into a microwave safe bowl and sprinkle some water over it. Wrap it with a plastic wrap (microwave safe) and cook for about 6-8 minutes or until the vegetable is soft and cooked.
- In a frying pan, heat the oil. Add the mustard seeds, turmeric powder, asafetida and red chili powder. Fry for about 30 seconds and then add the cooked vegetable. Add salt and mix well.
- Fry in low flame until the vegetables are slight brown and well combined.
- Serve the Kovakkai poriyal warm with rice and sambhar / rasam! I love this curry with curd rice.
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Kovakkai Curry / Poriyal – Stir fried Ivy Gourd
Equipment
- bowl
- pan
- spatula
Ingredients
- 1 ib Kovakkai Cut into roundels
- 1 tbsp Oil
- 1 tsp Mustard seeds
- ½ tsp Turmeric powder
- 1 – 1 ½ ½ Red chili powder
- to taste Salt
- few Curry leaves
- ¼ tsp Asafetida
Instructions
- Wash and cut the vegetable into thin roundels. I usually par-cook the vegetable before frying it, since it cooks quickly and uses little oil. Transfer the chopped vegetable into a microwave-safe bowl and sprinkle some water over it. Wrap it with a plastic wrap (microwave safe) and cook for about 6-8 minutes or until the vegetable is soft and cooked.
- In a frying pan, heat the oil. Add the mustard seeds, turmeric powder, asafoetida, and red chili powder. Fry for about 30 seconds and then add the cooked vegetable. Add salt and mix well.
- Fry in low flame until the vegetables are slightly brown and well combined.
- Serve the Kovakkai Curry warm with rice and sambhar/rasam! I love this curry with curd rice.
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