What is kovakkai in English?
Kovakkai is Ivy Gourd in English. Kovakkai is the Tamil name. In the Telugu language, it is called Dondakaya. In other Indian languages, Kovakkai is also known as tendli or tindora. Kovakkai fry also goes well in tiffin box paired with some soft phulka or roti.
Is kovakkai good for diabetics?
Kovakkai is rich in nutrition and vitamin c, its high fiber content relieves constipation, keeps blood sugar level under control, and good for people with diabetes. It is also effective for weight loss What kind of dondakaya should I use?
What is the best way to serve kovakkai?
Serve kovakkai fry hot or warm with chapatis or with dal-rice or curd rice or sambar-rice. Please be sure to rate the recipe in the recipe card below if you have made it.
What is a kovakkai?
Kovakkai is Ivy Gourd in English. Kovakkai is the Tamil name. In the Telugu language, it is called Dondakaya. In other Indian languages, Kovakkai is also known as tendli or tindora. Kovakkai fry also goes well in tiffin box paired with some soft phulka or roti.
How long to cook ivy gourds in a kovakkai?
Optional veggies: 2 medium sized potatoes can also be added. First saute the potatoes for 4 to 5 minutes on a low flame and then add the ivy gourds.
How to cook Kokkai?
13. Lastly add ¼ teaspoon garam masala powder, ½ teaspoon dry mango powder (amchur powder) and 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves. 14. Mix well and switch off the flame. 15. Serve kovakkai fry hot or warm with chapatis or with dal-rice or curd rice or sambar-rice.
How to make Kokkai fry?
How to make kovakkai fry. 1. First, rinse 250 grams ivy gourds (kovakkai or tindora or tendli) very well in water. Drain the excess water. 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.
How long to cook tindakaya?
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. Saute till the dondakaya is cooked well. Lastly add ¼ teaspoon garam masala powder, ½ teaspoon dry mango powder and 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves.
Instructions
Clean the Kovakkaai (Ivy Gourd) under running water and chop them vertically. Set it aside.
INSTRUCTIONS WITH STEP BY STEP PICTURES
Clean the Kovakkaai (Ivy Gourd) under running water and chop them vertically. Set it aside.
Sowmya Venkatachalam
IT Engineer turned full time Food Blogger. I ♡ FOOD. I also love food blogging. Did you make a recipe? Tag @Subbusktichen on Instagram. I WANNA SEE!
Botanical description
This plant is a perennial climber with single tendrils and glabrous leaves. The leaves have 5 lobes and are 6.5–8.5 cm long and 7–8 cm wide. The species is dioecious. Female and male flowers emerge at the axils on the petiole, and have 3 stamens.
Weed control
Both physical and chemical recommendations are made for control of the ivy gourd. It is very difficult to control this plant physically except by bagging fruits. Hand- harvesting normally does not kill the plant, but rather breaks the vine blankets into smaller pieces and the plant is able to re-establish when it touches the ground.
Medicinal value
In traditional medicine, fruits have been used to treat leprosy, fever, asthma, bronchitis, and jaundice. The fruit possesses mast cell -stabilizing, anti anaphylactic, and antihistaminic potential. In Bangladesh, the roots are used to treat osteoarthritis and joint pain. A paste made of leaves is applied to the skin to treat scabies.
Recipes
They are best when cooked, and are often compared to bitter melon. The fruit is commonly eaten in Indian cuisine. People of Indonesia and other Southeast Asian countries also consume the fruit and leaves.
Why ivy gourd?
Kovakkai is rich in nutrition and vitamin c, its high fiber content relieves constipation, keeps blood sugar level under control, and good for people with diabetes. It is also effective for weight loss
What kind of dondakaya should I use?
Ivy Gourd / Scarlet gourd is widely known as kovakkai / kovakka / kowai pazham / kowaikai in Tamil, dondakaya in Telugu, In other Indian languages it popular as Tondli, Tendli, Thondekai, tindora, etc. Always use raw and young ivy gourd. Avoid ripe ivy gourd, one with red seeds
Should I always steam kovakkai?
No, to save time and to use less oil I prefer pressure cooking the kovakkai then prepare poriyal. Alternatively, you can add extra oil and roast the kovakkai fit extra time
Can I cook kovakkai poriyal on the high flame?
No, Slow cooking is key for the perfect tasty kovakkai fry. I prefer keeping the flame between low- medium, it yields in best crispy and tasty kovakkai fry.
Can I cut kovakkai into think strips?
Yes, you can cut dondakaya into thin strips. In our home, we prefer cutting kovakkai into a thin almost equal-sized circle
Can I add tempering to kovakkai poriyal?
Yes, I usually add tempering but forgot while taking video hence skipped in the recipe.
How to make kovakkai poriyal with step by step pictures
After the cooked kovakkai is cool and all the water is drained add rice flour, turmeric powder, chilli powder; mix well and coat evenly