Spicy Ivy Gourd Stir Fry

  I had never tasted Ivy gourd until I moved to United Kingdom. I felt very shamed  that I never learnt most of the cooking method, never discovered all the names of vegetables neither the ingredients nor anything from mum while I was  in Malaysia. Although before I left Malaysia, I had written down some of my fav dishes in a book  and brought along with me for future use. With  few a knowledge, I started to explore the cooking culinary. I called my mum every 5 to 10 minutes for enquiring detaily to prepare a single dish. That was a real nightmare, even till now me and my hubby used to laugh if we over come to those beautiful memories.

 Actually, for the first time I had discovered so many new Indian and rare kind of vegetables at the huge Asian Vegetables Market(most of the vegetables from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh) near my home in East London and I found this gorgeous 'baby cucumber' at there too. For a sec I thought it was tiny cucumber but  there is name is stated Tindora. People around there said that is not a cucumber, it's a vegetable variety and best to fry or stir fry. so my mind desperately wanted to try it and bought a small amount to try. I cooked as a thoran with scraped coconut (stir fry), frankly it tasted very good.

From then I used buy them very often and cook them in different way. Apart from the simple spice-less Thoran, we are very much loved this Spicy Ivy Gourd Stir Fry. It is takes only few minutes to cook. The Ivy Gourd is tend to be cooked perfectly till the raw smells disappeared but still hold their crunchiness. The other ingredients blended well with coriander powder and the red chilli flakes, nicely sauted to dry and the moong dals gave a crispy nutty flavor in betweens. Goes very well with rice or roti. Personally, I love the stir fry with rice along with a spicy tangy Rasam(Indian Soup).Hmm..it tasted immensely heaven.

Spicy Ivy gourd Stir Fry

Ingredients:

500g ivy gourd/tindora/kovakka, cut lengthwise

2med onion, sliced

5clove garlic, chopped

1cm ginger, chopped

3thai green chillies, slit

2springs curry leaves

1tsp crushed dry red chilli {Adjust according your spice level}

1/2tsp cumin seeds

1/4tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tbsp roasted split yellow moong dal, soaked in water for 10minutes and drain

1/2tsp coriender powder

2tbsp scraped coconut

2tsp lime juice, per your taste or sub with tamarind extract (optional)

salt to taste

oil

Method:

Heat oil in a non-stick pan, add the mustard and cumin seeds, once mustard seeds spluttered add soaked roasted split yellow moong dal, garlic, ginger, onion, green chilli and curry leaves, fry until onion soft. Then add  ivy gourd and crushed dry red chilli, cover the pan and cook for 10minutes. Add the remaining ingredients, coriander powder, scraped coconut, salt to taste and drizzle the lime juice or tamarind extract if you using.Toss well so the ivy gourd coated with the spices. Fry further on medium heat with open lid till the ivy gourd cooked but still hold its crunchiness and the moisture evaporated fully and dry, about 10 to 12 minutes and toss occasionally. Off from heat and serve hot with rice or rotis.

Thank you for being here!!!Have Blessed Friday Everyone!!!

♥ ♥Kavis ♥ ♥