Kovakkai fry, commonly known as tindli, tindora or tendli, a simple to make dry curry with coconut. A delicious curry that can be served with rice.
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South Indian Lunch Thali
Lunch thali series, a long time wish to share my daily lunch ideas in the blog. I regularly share my lunch plate in Instagram , under the #icampinmykitchenlunch. Its been a long time wish to record those simple everyday lunch thali's in the blog as a series. Thanks to Blogging Marathon theme Lunch Thali, this week I will be sharing few simple everyday lunch ideas.
Indian Thali Meals
An Indian thali can be very elaborate with n number of dishes and also simple with a dal, subzi and rice. This brilliant Rajasthani thali and Himachal Thali are a glimpse of an elaborate Indian Thali. Srivalli made Thali's with Indian Street food her Delhi Street food thali and Mumbai Street food thali's are totally tempting.
Today I m featuring a simple south-indian lunch thali. Something that I cook day in and day out. At home lunch is comprised of rice, kootu, dry curry, either sambar or rasam and curd. Some days it is just dal and rice and there are days i cook a storm like this Tamil New Year Special
The Menu
Today's lunch thali contains
- Kovakkai fry/Tindora fry/Ivy gourd fry
- Bhindi/Okra & Capsicum Sambar
- Black eyed bean salad
- Mango Pickle
- Steaming hot White Basmati Rice.
If looking for a weekend thali of rasam and vathakuzhambu, check this delicious yennaikathrikai kuzhambu and lemon rasam thali.
The Ingredients
- Tindora/Ivy Gourd/Tendli is the main hero of the recipe
- Tomatoes, I have used 1 medium sized tomato in this recipe. It is optional, but adds a nice tang to the sauté.
- Spice, I normally use either Sambar podi or Curry podi for my dry curries. You can also grind equal amounts of red chilli and coriander seeds and use that spice for the dry subzi.
- Coconut, I love adding coconut to dry subzi's, adds lots of flavor to it. Again if you have any dietary restrictions to avoid then you can omit coconut.
- Tempering, for a south-indian curry, it goes without saying mustard seeds, curry leaves and hing.
Step by Step Instructions to make Tindora Fry
Please check recipe card below for exact measurements of each ingredient used and also for the detailed instructions
- Wash and chop the tendli/tindora in to thin roundels. Some prefer to cut it vertically, some prefer to cut into roundels. I do both ways.
- Heat a pan with oil, splutter mustard seeds, add hing and curry leaves. Add chopped tomatoes and turmeric powder to this and sauté until tomatoes turn soft and mushy.
- Now add the chopped tindora to this and saute. Add sambar powder and salt. Mix well.
- Sprinkle water 2-3 times, cover and cook until the tindora is soft. Takes around 10-12 minutes in medium flame. Open and stir once or twice while it is cooking.
- Once the vegetable is soft, remove cover and add grated coconut to this and mix well.
- Let this cook without cover for another 8-10 minutes, until the bottom turns a bit golden and brown. Keep stirring once or twice in the process.
- Take it off the stove and serve it with rice.
If you have tried this recipe and like it, give it a star rating or let me know in the comments below. You could also share it with me on Instagram using #icampinmmykitchen and tagging me @priyasrinivasan.
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More Dry Subzi
Recipe
Kovakkai Fry | Tindora Fry | South Indian Lunch 1
Ingredients
- 4 cups Chopped tindora/tendli/ivy gourd approximately 4-5 cups
- 1 no medium sized tomato, chopped
- 1½ teaspoon sambar podi/red chili & coriander powder see notes
- ⅓ cup shredded coconut fresh coconut
- 1 tsp salt or to taste
Tempering
- 1½ tablespoon oil i used coconut oil
- ¾ teaspoon mustard seeds
- ¼ teaspoon hing/asafoetida
- few curry leaves
Instructions
- Wash the tindora well in a bowl of water. I usually soak them in water for 10 minutes. Wash and drain them completely. You can either cut into thin roundels or vertically into thin strips.
- I personally prefer roundels and have observed they cook faster when cut into roundels. Again it is a personal preference and observation, might not be the same for all.
- Heat a wide bottom pan with oil, when hot splutter mustard seeds, add hing and curry leaves. To this now add chopped tomatoes, and turmeric powder. Let the tomatoes cook until soft and mushy.
- To the mushy tomatoes, add chopped tindora, add sambar powder or red chili and coriander powder, salt and mix well.
- Sprinkle water 2-3 times, cover and cook in a medium flame for 10-12 minutes. Open and stir in between twice. Check if the bottom is burning, if so then sprinkle little water and continue to cook with cover.
- After 10-12 minutes, the tindora must have turned soft. Check doneness by pressing one in between your fingers, if still hard, let it cook covered for 2-3 more minutes.
- To the cooked tindora add coconut. Mix well. Let this continue to cook without cover for another 8-10 minutes, for the bottom to turn a bit brown and golden.
- Keep the flame medium or even low. Stir once or twice in between. If you feel it is burning in the bottom, sprinkle very little water and mix well.
- After the said time, the tindora would have nicely crisped up in the bottom. Mix it well. I personally prefer few crispy tindora and few soft. Creates wonderful texture when you eat the vegetable.
- Take it off the stove, serve it warm with rice. This delicious tindora fry can be packed for lunch too.
Notes
- I usually add either sambar powder or curry powder to my dry curries.
- Sometimes, I grind equal amount of round red chilies (gundu milagai) and coriander seeds and use this powder to flavor my dry subzi.
- I have used 1.5 teaspoon of spice powder in the recipe. Since i have used a tomato and coconut, that amount of spice was needed. In case you feel it will be too spicy for you, then reduce it to 1 tsp.
Disclaimer
I m not a Doctor or a Nutritionist The Nutrition information provided above comes from the plugin and is only an estimate.
Serve this delicious tindora curry with rice. This crispy tendli fry can also be packed in lunch boxes for schools and offices.
I personally like to make a roti roll with this ivy gourd subzi, they taste absolutely delicious and easy to pack for kids lunch box.
Do you like the Recipe? PIN IT
Champa
If someone chopped it for me, I wouldn't mind cooking this veggie at all. Nice.
Satya
i love to have it with hot ghee rice..yummy
Super Yummy Recipes
Priya Suresh
Super delicious stir fry,love it.
KrithisKitchen
Simple and delish.. I too make like this..
Nalini's Kitchen
Delicious curry...
Akila
Wow so yummy... just love it..
Harini R
I painfully cut the veggi and make it as often as it appears at home 🙂 We love it in any form.
Cool Lassi(e)
Crispy and yummy looking veggie fry!
The Pumpkin Farm
I am not big fan of gherkins but if well done it does taste well....like the way it has turned out for u, nice spread
Jayanthi
Good one Priya...another of my favorite vegetable. Looks super yum...
preeti garg
look so tempting
Aarthi
what a yummy looking curry
Chef Mireille
been seeing so many recipes with this veggie..really must try it!
Srivalli
I love this with sambar!
Vardhini
Tindoora fry looks inviting.
Vardhini
CooksJoy
Padmajha
Nice curry and yummy platter...
Srivalli Jetti
Wonderful looking thali, Priya. So balanced and very healthy as well. We love kovakkai and make it at least once. Love your recipe as it makes it the perfect side dish for rice and sambar. thanks for the mention. Your insta page with all that thalis make it so sinful. Glad you are able to share this with us.
Vaishali
That's a lovely Thali with a wonderful comfort meal. Tindora is a great side dish and we too make it quite often, the recipe differs - let me try with this recipe next time. Sounds delicious .
Sandhya Ramakrishnan
What a beautiful spread of thali. Give this kovakkai curry to my boys and they will eat this all day. I don't add coconut to mine. I have to give this recipe a try 🙂
Radha
This is an amazing meal. Love this curry, it is our favorite. I never added tomatoes and it should give a subtle flavor. I am going to try it. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Harini Rupanagudi
What a lovely spread you have there. Love this vegetable and I have never added tomato to this fry. Shall try it out next time.
NARMADHA
That is one amazing thali with simple everyday dishes. I am tempted with your photos on insta. Usually, I don't add coconut while making tindora curry, this time tried your version and it tasted awesome. Everyone enjoyed it.
Suma Gandlur
That is a well balanced meal with delicious side dishes. I haven't eaten tendli curry with coconut in ages. You reminded me my mother's curry. 🙂