Kovakya Aviyal | Kovakka Avial | Tindora Aviyal | Ivy Gourd Avial

Ivy Gourd cooked in coconut paste and curd

Do you get bored cooking the same veggie or gravy the same way every week or every alternate week. I do.. When we run short of time, we resort to a quick stir fry of the veggies with some onions and minimal spices, right ! But on those other days, I keep searching for new ways to prepare the same veggies. That is how I stumbled upon this recipe of an aviyal with Ivy gourd here. Aviyal is a very popular side dish of Kerala made with a plethora of vegetables and the veggies are boiled and cooked in coconut sauce and curd. 

I have never heard of an avial with kovakka before, so when I saw the name I was intrigued. And then when I read through the recipe, it was very close to the normal avial that's made at home and that too with one veggie. God save me the chore of cutting and slicing all those veggies to make an elaborate avial ;) And when I made this I was very happy, coz with very less effort I can make and relish an avial. So this is what I make when I have a craving for avial and I do not have the time or all the veggies required to make a normal avial. Do try out, I'm sure you too will fall prey for this easy recipe like me !

Serves: 3-4 persons

I Took: 

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

I Used:

Kovakka/Tindora/Ivy Gourd	-	125 gm (around 20 nos)
Turmeric Powder	-	¼ tsp
Salt	-	As needed
Curry leaves	-	A sprig
Curd	-	½ cup
Coconut Oil	-	1 tbsp

To Grind:

Coconut	-	¼ cup
Green Chilly	-	2 nos
Cumin seed	-	½ tsp

The Way:

1. Grind together the ingredients under 'To Grind' by adding 2-3 tbsp water to a smooth paste. Keep aside

2. Clean and cut the tindora/kovakkai vertically into 4 slices

3. In a pan, add the sliced kovakkai along with turmeric powder and salt. Mix and sprinkle little water. Cover the pan and cook over low/medium flame till the kovakka is three-fourth cooked

4. Meanwhile grind together the ingredients under 'To Grind' using 2-3 tbsp water to a smooth paste

5. Once the kovakka is three-fourth cooked, add the ground coconut paste to it and mix well. Cook for another 3-4 minutes till it becomes dry and the raw smell of the coconut goes 

6. In the meantime, take the curd in the mixie jar in which you ground the coconut. Give a quick pulse or two. This is done so that there are no lumps while the curd is added to the kovakka and it blends smoothly to the dish

7. Now add the curry leaves and the whisked curd. Mix well and leave it on low flame till it becomes dry. Finally add the coconut oil and give a quick stir and leave for a minute and then switch off the flame

Serve with samabar and steamed rice and pappadam :)

Cheers,
Chitz