Kovakkai Fry is a simple and easy recipe made with ivy gourd, spices and herbs. This dondakaya fry recipe is best served as a side dish with chapatis or with curd rice and dal-rice. It is also a no onion no garlic recipe.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 5 minutes
  • Cook time: 20 minutes
  • Total time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 3
  • Category: Side Dish
  • Cuisine: North Indian

Ingredients

  • 250 grams ivy gourd (or 2.5 cups sliced ivy gourd (tindora or tendli or kovakkai))
  • 2 tablespoons oil ((sunflower, peanut or mustard oil))
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder ((ground turmeric))
  • ½ teaspoon kashmiri chilli powder
  • ½ teaspoon fennel powder
  • ½ teaspoon cumin powder ((ground cumin))
  • ½ teaspoon coriander powder ((ground coriander))
  • 1 pinch asafoetida ((hing))
  • ¼ teaspoon garam masala
  • ½ teaspoon dry mango powder ((amchur powder))
  • 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves

Method

preparation for kovakkai fry recipe

  1. First rinse 250 grams ivy gourds (tindora or tendli or dondakaya) very well in water. Drain the excess water.
  2. Then thinly slice of the top and bottom ends and discard them. Slice the ivy gourds vertically in four parts. You will need 2.5 cups sliced ivy gourds.

making kovakkai fry

  1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a heavy and thick bottomed kadai.
  2. An iron kadai works best for this recipe. If using mustard oil, then let it come to its smoking point and then add tendli.
  3. Keep the flame to a low and add the sliced tindora (ivy gourds).
  4. Mix very well with the oil.
  5. On a low flame begin to cook the tindora. Keep stirring after 3 to 4 minutes.
  6. Saute till the tindora is half done. You will see the edges getting light golden on the tindora when they are half cooked.
  7. Now add the spice powders - ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder, ½ teaspoon kashmiri red chilli powder, ½ teaspoon fennel powder, ½ teaspoon cumin powder, ½ teaspoon coriander powder and 1 pinch asafoetida (hing).
  8. Mix the spices very well with the tindora.
  9. Add salt as per taste.
  10. Mix well and continue to saute on a low flame till the tindora becomes golden, slightly crisp and is cooked well. Stir after 3 to 4 minutes.
  11. Saute till the dondakaya is cooked well.
  12. Lastly add ¼ teaspoon garam masala powder, ½ teaspoon dry mango powder and 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves
  13. Mix well and switch off the heat.
  14. Serve Kovakkai Fry hot or warm with chapatis or with dal-rice or curd rice or sambar-rice or rasam-rice.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.