MASALA IVY GOURD

 MASALA IVY GOURD

Ivy Gourd is a commonly available vegetable in India. It is Kundru or Tindora in Hindi, Thondekayi in Kannada, Dondekayi in Telugu, and Tendle in my mother tongue Konkani.

With its low calories and high fibre, ivy gourd has many  health benefits

 I make dishes using ivy gourd quite often so elsewhere in this blog you will find recipes for dishes such as:-

• Tendle Talasani, 
• Stuffed Tindora Masala.
• Tendle Bhuthi 
• Thondekayi Yennegayi 

Today's recipe has been adapted from Dondakaya Vepudu in Subbu's Kitchen. 

I tried it out recently. It was very tasty as a side dish which went well with our meal of hot steamed rice and rasam.

Ingredients:-

• Ivy Gourd, 300 gms
• Turmeric Powder, 1/4 tsp
• Peanuts, 1/4 cup
• Salt, to taste
• Oil, 1 tsp for roasting the peanuts

For the Masala Powder:-

• Coriander Seeds, 1 tbsp
• Split Bengal Gram/Channa Dal, 1 tbsp
• Byadgi Red Chillies, 4
• Cumin Seeds, 1/2 tsp
• Dry Coconut /Copra gratings, 2 tbsp

For Seasoning:-

• Mustard Seeds, 1 tsp
• Black Gram Dal/ Urad Dal, 2 tsp
• Curry Leaves, a sprig
• Oil, 2 to 3 tbsp

Method:-

Wash the ivy gourd, snip off the two ends and cut the ivy gourd length wise into strips

In a pan, heat 1 tsp of oil and roast the peanuts till they develop spots and become crisp. Keep aside.

Heat a thick bottomed kadhai and dry roast coriander seeds till they become fragrant, then add channa dal, Byadgi red chillies and cumin seeds and roast on medium flame till the dal changes colour

Switch off the gas and remove the roasted ingredients to a plate and allow them to cool

Transfer the cooled ingredients to a mixer jar and grind to a coarse powder  - this forms the masala powder. Keep aside. 

In the same kadhai, heat 2 to 3 tbsp of oil and on medium heat add the mustard seeds

When they splutter, add the urad dal and fry till the dal changes colour then add the curry leaves

To this add the sliced ivy gourd, turmeric powder and salt to taste. Mix well

Fry on high heat, stirring from time to time, for about 5 minutes

Reduce the flame and cover and cook, stirring occasionally till the ivy gourd gets done yet remains crunchy 

Now add the freshly ground masala powder, mix well till the ivy gourd gets blended well in the ground masala

Check for salt and add if required

Next add the roasted peanuts  and mix well

Switch off the flame

Transfer to a serving bowl and serve the Masala Ivy Gourd as a side dish with rasam and hot steamed rice

DONDAKAYA MASALA

DONDAKAYA MASALA

Today's recipe is for a side dish from Andhra cuisine in which we use ivy gourd stuffed with masala. This goes great with rice and rotis.

Ivy Gourd, called Dondakaya in Telugu, is a commonly available vegetable in India. It is known as Tindora in Hindi, Tendle in my mother tongue, Konkani,  Kovakkai in Tamil, and Thondekayi in Kannada.

According to this article in Lybrate, Ivy Gourd has many properties that are good for our health.

Elsewhere in this blog, you will find recipes with ivy gourd such as Tendle Talasani from our Konkani cuisine, Thondekayi Yennegayi from North Karnataka, and Tindora Masala from North India.

I have adapted this from Dondakaya Masala Curry by Hyderabadi Ruchilu.

Ingredients:-

• Dondakaya ( Ivy Gourd), 1/2 kg
• Groundnuts, 2 tbsp
• Coriander Seeds, 2 tbsp
• Sesame Seeds, 2 tbsp
• Cumin Seeds, 1 tsp
• Fresh Coconut Gratings, 2 tbsp
• Chilli Powder, 2 tsp or to taste
• Kitchen King Masala, 1/4 tsp
• Ginger Garlic Paste, 1 tsp
• Turmeric Powder, 1/2 tsp
• Tamarind, marble sized ball
• Medium-sized Onion, 1
• Salt, to taste 
• Oil, 2 tbsp

Method:- 

Wash the ivy gourds and snip off the two ends

Make criss-cross slits in each of them without breaking them ( required for stuffing the ivy gourd with masala). Keep aside.
Chop the onion. Keep aside.

Dry roast the groundnuts in a broad, thick-bottomed kadhai  on medium heat for about 3-4 minutes. When they change colour and give off a good aroma add the coriander seeds, followed by the sesame seeds and when they start popping, add the cumin seeds and roast for a few seconds
To this add the fresh coconut gratings and sauté for a few seconds and switch off the gas
Allow the roasted ingredients to cool, then transfer to a small mixer jar
Add salt, chilli powder, tamarind, Kitchen King masala and grind to a thick, smooth paste, adding very little water
Transfer this to a bowl
Stuff the slits in the ivy gourds with this prepared masala. Please see pictures below.

Heat 2 tbsp oil in the same kadhai and when it gets hot add the chopped onion and sauté till it becomes translucent
Add the turmeric powder and the ginger garlic paste and sauté till the raw smell goes
To this add the stuffed ivy gourd- one by one
Cook covered on medium heat for about 10 minutes, flipping periodically
Cover and cook the flipped ivy gourds for another 10 minutes
Add the remaining ground paste and 1/2 cup of water and mix well
Cook for another 10-15 minutes or till the oil separates
Switch off the gas
Lastly, garnish the Dondakaya Masala with finely chopped coriander leaves
Serve hot with rotis or rice

DONDAKAYA PACHADI (IVY GOURD CHUTNEY)

DONDAKAYA PACHADI ( IVY GOURD CHUTNEY)

One of the veggies I use pretty often is Ivy Gourd, variously called Dondakaya in Telugu,
Tindora in Hindi, Thondekayi in Kannada and Tendle in my mother tongue, Konkani. This vegetable is used all over the country.

Elsewhere in this blog you will find recipes for Tendle Bhuthi from Konkani cuisine, Thondekayi Yennegayi,  from North Karnataka and the North Indian Tindora Masala.

Today's recipe is for a chutney from Andhra called Dondakaya Pachadi and has been adapted from the popular cooking website Sailu's Foods.

For best results, choose ivy gourd that are tender yet firm.

Traditionally, this Dondakaya Chutney is served with steaming hot rice and ghee.

Ingredients:-

• Dondakaya, (Ivy Gourd), 250 grams, 
• Cumin Seeds, 1 tsp
• Channa Dal ( Bengal Gram), 1 and 1/2  tbsp
• Urad Dal (Black Gram Dal), 1 tbsp
• Byadgi Red Chillies, 2 
• Green Chillies, slit, 3, 
• Garlic Cloves, peeled and lightly crushed, 6 
• Tamarind, size of a small marble  
• Jaggery, grated, 1/2 tsp
• Salt, to taste
• Oil, 1 tbsp

For Seasoning :-

• Mustard Seeds, 1/2 tsp
• Hing (Asafoetida) Powder, a pinch
• Curry Leaves, a sprig
• Oil, 1 tsp

Method:-

Wash the ivy gourd and snip off their ends and cut them into thin roundels

In a thick-bottomed kadhai, heat oil and on medium heat add the cumin seeds, channa dal, Urad dal and red chillies and sauté till the dals change color
To this, add the slit green chillies and the peeled garlic, followed by the ivy gourd, mix well and cook uncovered for about 10 minutes stirring from time to time till the ivy gourd turns slightly golden
Switch off the gas, allow this to cool and transfer contents to a mixer jar
Next, add the tamarind, salt, grated jaggery and  2 tbsp of water
Grind to a coarse paste in pulse mode and transfer the ground chutney to a bowl
Heat 1 tsp of oil in a small pan and do the seasoning by adding the mustard seeds on medium heat
When they splutter, add the asafoetida powder and the curry leaves and sauté for a few seconds
Pour this seasoning on to the Dondakaya Pachadi
Serve this as an accompaniment with hot steamed rice