Kovakkai Stir Fry Recipe
Tindora or Kovakkai is relished for its bitter flavor and crunchy texture.
Kovakkai/Tindora is an indispensable vegetable in the gastronomic history of India. It has been used in cooking and as well as in Ayurvedic medicine since ancient times In India and Sri Lanka and its benefits are innumerable. It is popularly grown in the gardens and farms and as it is a climbing vine, it also grows widely in fences and walls throughout the year. They are small in size and have a cylinder shape and there are quite a few varieties of Tindora that vary in shape, size, color and texture. The most popular varieties are the plain green ones and the stripped ones.
It is called by various names which vary according to the State or the region. For example, it is called as Dondakaya, Tendil, Scarlet gourd and Tondi. There are a plenty of dishes that are made with Ivy gourd and they are also included in sambhar, salads, curries, chutneys and even pickles. Usually, in the Indian cooking it pairs up with vegetables and roasted lentil powders, fish and meat and merges well with the spices like green chilies, ginger and garlic. Ivy gourd based dishes are generally spruced up with peanut powder, coconut milk, cumin seeds, cilantro and vinegar. Ivy gourd soups are popular in India, and it is also included in porridge and stew. This ivy gourd stir fry is a popular dish that goes well with rice, roti and dhal.
Ivy gourd is a rich source of vitamins, nutrients and minerals. It eliminates fatigue as it contains iron and regulates blood sugar levels. Its rich antioxidants favors in strengthening the nervous system. It is really astonishing to know that this simple vegetable contributes in the treatment of epilepsy, Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis and numbness. Moreover, it also aids in reducing anxiety, a much needed veggie for the present day life-style. Another important fact is that it also paves way for curing metabolic disorders. Researches prove that it also helps in preventing obesity as it is has dietary fiber. If taken on a regular basis, it prevents the formation of kidney stones.
Let us see the method of preparing stir fry made with this miraculous vegetable in a simple way.
Ingredients Required To Make Kovakkai Stir Fry Recipe
How To Make Kovakkai Stir Fry Recipe
Wash and clean the ivy gourd and finely chop them.
Place a saucepan in the stove and pour a little oil.
When it is heated, tip in a teaspoon of mustard seeds to it.
When it crackles, just drop a dried red chili along with some curry leaves.
When it splutters, tip in a pinch of asafoetida and stir in
Toss over some curry leaves and let it sizzle too.
Now, add the chopped ivy gourd and splash in a little water.
Sprinkle the required salt and pop the lid on.
Let it cook in low flame for five minutes.
After a while, just open the lid and give a nice stir and close again. After two minutes, you will get a nice aroma coming out of the sauce pan.
Open the lid at this stage and you will see the ivy gourd being cooked up completely.
Here, you add a little oil and change the flame to high mode.
Within minutes, the vegetable turns crispy and greenish brown and turn off the stove at this stage.
Now the delicious ivy gourd stir fry is ready.
Serve it with hot steamed rice, pepper rasam and a papad.
Ingredients
Directions
Wash and clean the ivy gourd and finely chop them.
Place a saucepan in the stove and pour a little oil.
When it is heated, tip in a teaspoon of mustard seeds to it.
When it crackles, just drop a dried red chili along with some curry leaves.
When it splutters, tip in a pinch of asafoetida and stir in
Toss over some curry leaves and let it sizzle too.
Now, add the chopped ivy gourd and splash in a little water.
Sprinkle the required salt and pop the lid on.
Let it cook in low flame for five minutes.
After a while, just open the lid and give a nice stir and close again. After two minutes, you will get a nice aroma coming out of the sauce pan.
Open the lid at this stage and you will see the ivy gourd being cooked up completely.
Here, you add a little oil and change the flame to high mode.
Within minutes, the vegetable turns crispy and greenish brown and turn off the stove at this stage.
Now the delicious ivy gourd stir fry is ready.
Serve it with hot steamed rice, pepper rasam and a papad.
