kovakkai paruppusili

Coccinia grandis, Tindora, Kovakkai, Dondakaya, Ivy Gourd... whatever we call it, this is  one of my childhood favorites.

I don't make it often these days - it depends on whether my local Indian stores carry it when I feel like having some, but, as it happened, D bought a pound of Kovakkai recently that I eagerly cooked up into my favorite dish here.



Paruppusili is basically, red gram lentils soaked with some dry red chilies, ground into a paste, steam-cooked and then pan fried and added to vegetable of choice, which in this recipe happens to be Kovakkai. The procedure is the same as my Green Beans Paruppusili recipe.



After soaking and grinding the red gram lentils (toor dal, tuvar dal), I like to shape it into small balls and steam the lentil balls. At this point, the steamed lentil balls can be frozen for future use - just thaw in microwave on low power as needed. The lentil balls can also be used to make a wonderful dish we relish in my family, called Paruppu Urundai Kozhambu.

Ingredients:
4 2"-diameter steamed lentil balls, if handy
OR
(1 cup toor dal, 2 dry red chilies, some water)
------------

1 pound kovakkai*, cut length-wise
salt to taste
* I prefer the green and unripe Kovakkai for this dish, not the ripe ones that are reddish inside

tempering: 2 Tbsp oil, 1 tsp mustard seeds, 1tsp cumin seeds, few curry leaves

Preparation:

to make lentil balls: soak the toor dal and dry red chilies in water for about an hour or two; drain, grind it to a thick paste; shape into 2" diameter balls; steam them and set aside

steam the kovakkai with a pinch of salt till cooked through but not mushy, drain, and set aside

heat oil in a non-stick pan, add the tempering: when mustard seeds pop and die down, add the cumin seeds and curry leaves, crumble the lentil balls and add them to the pan; stir fry till the lentils get slightly crispy and golden

add the steamed kovakkai to the pan, stir till well incorporated; adjust salt to taste

Serve warm with simple roti, or, with basmati rice and pepper rasam

This Kovakkai paruppusili recipe is my 'K' dish for A to Z of Indian Vegetables event hosted by Nupur of One Hot Stove. It takes hard work to do the round-up week after week and I really appreciate all the effort Nupur has been putting into hosting this event.

Tindora (Kovakkai) Curry

Known popularly as Kovakkai in the South, Tindora in the North, Coccinia grandis, used to be ubiquitous when I was growing up.

My mom usually pan fries it, or makes paruppusili out of it. This tindora curry recipe was sort of thrown together for a quick side dish to accompany rotis one weeknight... and it is a wonderful tagine-stye dish to serve with couc-cous or even just quinoa or brown rice.

for the masala paste:
¼ cup grated coconut (dry or fresh)
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp fresh grated ginger
1 indian bay leaf
1 star anise
1 tsp white poppy seeds
5-6 dry red chilies
1 Tbsp coriander powder
1 Tbsp tomato paste
water as needed

Ingredients
1 medium onion,diced
1 medium tomato,diced
1 lb green tindora, chopped
1 Tbsp canola oil
½ to 1 Tbsp brown sugar (optional)
curry leaves and cilantro for garnish (optional)
salt to taste

Preparation

1. combine the masala paste ingredients in a blender or food processor and grind to a fine paste
2. heat oil in a pan, sauté the masala paste, onion & tomatoes, with a pinch of salt, till onions turn translucent
3. add the tindora, kidney beans, brown sugar and some water; cover and let the tindora cook
4. off heat garnish with cilantro/curry leaves, adjust salt to taste
5. serve warm with rotis or basmati rice