Kovakkai Rice / Tindora Rice / Ivy Gourd Rice

Kovakkai Rice / Tindora Rice / Ivy Gourd, flavorful, simple and quick rice item. Ideal for  lunch box or for a lazy day lunch or for dinner. We both likes Kovakkai / Ivy gourd, so used to buy whenever available and used to make variety dishes out of it. When I made this we both liked it very much. Ivy gourd has lots of health benefits and nutritional values, it has iron, vitamin B2 and support to prevent kidney stone, fatigue, protects the nervous system. So try to include this vegetable in your diet. Here is recipe for you all to try.

Ingredients

• Kovakkai / Tindora 20 nos
• Cooked Rice 2 cups
• Turmeric Powder a pinch
• Chilli Powder a pinch
• Salt
• Green Chili 2 nos
• Garlic 2 nos, chopped

For the Masala

• Chana Dal / Bengal Gram 2 tsp
• Urad Dal 1 tsp
• Dry Red Chili 2 or 3 nos
• Asafoetida a pinch
• Turmeric Powder 1/4 tsp
• Salt

For Seasoning

• Mustard Seeds 1/2 tsp
• Cashew Nuts few sliced
• Peanuts 2 tbsp
• Chana Dal 2 tsp
• Dry Red Chili 2 nos
• Curry Leaves few
• Oil

Method

Clean and cut kovakkai / tindora into thin rounds. Drain water well. Mix salt, chilli powder and turmeric powder and apply into kovakki slices and keep it aside for 5 minutes. Heat a medium size fry pan on medium heat and dry roast chana dal, urad dal and dry red chilli, once its roasted add asafoetida powder and keep it aside to cool down a bit. Once its cools down put it in a blender and make a coarse powder. In the same pan add little oil and keep them on a medium flame. . Add kovakkai and shallow fry them until cooked. 

Take a medium size sauce pan or a woke and keep it on a medium flame. Add oil once its hot put mustard seeds and splutter them. Add chana dal, urad dal and sliced cashew nuts. Roast them nicely and add chopped garlic and saute for few seconds. Now add green chilli and saute for few seconds. Add curry leaves and saute for few seconds. Add shallow fried kovakkai and ground masala powder and turmeric powder and salt. Saute for few seconds. Now add cooked rice and mix everything well. Cover and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Open and stir well on high flame for few seconds. Check salt if need add accordingly. Serve warm with your favorite pickle and pappadam.  

NB: If you have home made chutney powder / parippu podi you can use that instead of making ground masala. Enjoy cooking..