Kovakka (Ivy Gourd-Kowai)Thoran\Poriyal

                                                                   

Ingredients:

Kovakkai( Ivy Gourd-Kowai)- 3 cups

Onion - 1 big

Green Chili - 3

Coconut - 1 cup scrapped

Cooking oil - 2 spoons

Mustard seeds - 1/4 spoon

Salt - As required

Curry leaves - 10 to 12

Preparation:

Cut kovakkai into small slices as shown in the picture and keep it aside.

Chop one big onion into small pieces and set aside.

Directions:

Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds and allow to splutter. Add curry leaves, green chillies and onion in order.Stir well until onion turns pale brown. Add enough salt. Put the cut kovakkai into it and mix well until the ingredients mix uniformly. Sprinkle some water so that it does not get dried.

Reduce the flame and cover the pan. Wait for sometime until it cooks. Once in a while stir to avoid it from sticking to the pan. When the kovakkai gets cooked well, add scraped coconut and stir well to spread it.

Put off the flame and keep pan covered for 5 minutes. Then it can be readily served as a side dish for hot rice.

This poriyal / thoran / upperi goes well with rice. This can also be used as a stuffing for making bread sandwich.