Simple and easy stir-fry with ivy gourd or kovakkai poriyal for a perfect everyday dish that goes well with rice and flatbreads! Kovakkai poriyal is a South Indian style ivy stir fry. This is a simple and vegan recipe with onion, green chili and some masala powder.
This Kovakkai Poriyal is one of the simplest, easiest and tastiest recipes you can make with ivy gourd, and goes perfectly with your flatbreads, sambar/dal/rasam rice combo or any type of rice like tamarind rice, tomato rice, lemon rice, coconut rice, ghee rice etc. to make it a delicious and healthy meal.
Ivy squash stir-fry is one of my all-time favorite vegetarian side dishes. I love ivy gourd in curries, gravies, simple bakes with just tempering mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves and dry red chilli (you can also add grated coconut).
WHAT IS KOVAKKAI PORIYAL?
“Kovakkkai” is the Tamil name for ivy gourd and poriyal is a fried or stir-fried recipe made with any vegetable.
Coccinia grandis, the ivy gourd, also known as scarlet gourd, is a tropical vine. It looks like a mini version of cucumber. It grows mainly in tropical climates and is commonly found in many Indian states, where it is part of the local cuisine.
Ivy gourd is called by many other names in India such as tindora, tendi, kundru, dhendura, kudri, kovakka, dondakaya etc.
This kovakkai poriyal or ivy gourd stir fry is a simple recipe that is quick to prepare and made with simple pantry staples. Stir-frying is done over medium heat, as opposed to stir-frying over high heat. The reason for this is so that the ivy gourd slices are cooked evenly and prevent them from burning. It is not necessary to stir-fry them non-stop, but stir-fry them regularly.
Poriyals are easy and quick to make. It doesn’t take much time to cook and is ready in minutes. We can make different poriyal recipes with different vegetables and combine them with rice or roti, accompanied by some dal, sambar, rasam and gravy of your choice to make a soulful and healthy meal.
We cut the kovakkai (ivy gourd) into thin strips and prepared this kovakkai fry. But you can also cut circles. I love it anyway. Make sure to thinly slice the ivy gourd so it cooks faster and evenly. The result is better if it is nicely fried in oil and cooked until shrunken.
Research on this vegetable and its benefits has shown that this vegetable helps lower blood sugar levels. Therefore, this vegetable is great for diabetic patients. It is also a rich source of calcium and vitamin C. Read a detailed report on it on the Science Direct website here
Here is an ivy gourd stir fry recipe. Learn how to make this simple side dish with detailed step-by-step images. Enjoy preparing this homestyle kovakkai poriyal and enjoy it with rice dal/sambar or flatbreads. Also, let me know your thoughts about this recipe in the comment box below. I’d love to read it!
INGREDIENTS FOR MAKING IVY KALEO STIR-FRY
This section explains the ingredients used in making ivy gourd stir-fry, how to use or choose certain ingredients, and how to substitute them. For dimensions, see the recipe card below.
IVY GALLERY – Highly recommend using young and tender ivy gourd.
OIL – The recipe uses refined sunflower oil. You can use mustard oil, sesame oil, coconut oil or other cooking oil.
ONION – Used the regular red onion. You can also use shallots.
GREEN CHILLI – Green chili pepper is optional, but you can also use dry red chili pepper.
CURRY LEAVES – Use curry leaves if they are available to you. You can also sprinkle chopped coriander leaves at the end.
SALTY according to taste.
SPICES – The recipe uses masala powders such as turmeric powder, red chili powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and garam masala powder.
HOW TO MAKE IVY KALEO STIR-FRY?
This section explains how to make ivy gourd (kovakkai poriyal) stir-fry, with step-by-step photos and details on the technique. See the recipe card below for full ingredient measurements.
STEP BY STEP PHOTO INSTRUCTIONS TO MAKE IVY KALEO STIR-FRY
Clean the ivy gourd, pat it dry and cut the edges. Cut them lengthwise or into rounds. For this recipe I chose the lengthwise cut.
Add the oil to a pan and let it heat.
Add the onion, green chili pepper and curry leaves. Fry them for a minute.
Add the ivy gourd and salt to taste. Mix well to combine.
Cover and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the masala powder: turmeric powder, red chili powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and garam masala powder.
Stir and mix well to combine everything. Cover and cook over medium heat until the ivy gourd is well cooked and tender. Stir them regularly so that they cook evenly.
My ivy squash was very tender, so total cooking time was about 15 minutes.
Turn off the heat. Sprinkle some chopped coriander leaves (optional). You also squeeze some lemon juice and serve.
COMMENTS / TIPS
*When purchasing ivy gourd, always buy the tender ones. Avoid using ivy gourds that have become frosted and red inside.
*You can leave out the onion and chillies and stir-fry immediately with some masala powder.
*You can also add grated coconut, it tastes very good.
*Spices can be adjusted to your taste preference.
* You cut the ivy gourd in advance and can also store the chopped ivy gourd for a few days. Chopped ivy gourd will keep for 5 to 6 days. Store them in a ziplock bag or airtight container and store them in the refrigerator.
SERVING SUGGESTION
Ivy gourd stir fry can be packed in the tiffin box with chapatis or served as a side dish with rice accompanied by dal or sambar or rasam. Ivy gourd poriyal can also be served as a side dish with chapatis.
SAVE SUGGESTION
Leftover poriyal can be transferred to an airtight container and stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Before serving, you can warm it up in the microwave for a few seconds or heat it in a pan on a gas stove.
RECIPE CARD
Ivy Gourd Stir Fry
Simple and easy stir-fry with ivy gourd or kovakkai poriyal for a perfect everyday dish that goes well with rice and flatbreads! Kovakkai poriyal is a South Indian style ivy stir fry. This is a simple and vegan recipe with onion, green chili and some masala powder.
- 300 Grams Ivy gourd cut
- 2-3 Tablespoon Oil
- 1 Big Onion minced meat
- 3 Medium Green Chili cut
- 4-5 Curry leaves
- 1-2 Teaspoon Salty according to taste
- ½ Teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 1 Teaspoon Red chili powder
- ½ Teaspoon Cumin powder
- 1 Teaspoon Coriander powder
- ½ Teaspoon Garam masala powder
- Few Chopped coriander leaves Optional
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Clean the ivy gourd, pat it dry and cut the edges. Cut them lengthwise or into rounds. For this recipe I chose the lengthwise cut.
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Add the oil to a pan and let it heat.
-
Add the onion, green chili pepper and curry leaves. Fry them for a minute.
-
Add the ivy gourd and salt to taste. Mix well to combine.
-
Cover and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
-
Add the masala powder: turmeric powder, red chili powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and garam masala powder.
-
Stir and mix well to combine everything. Cover and cook over medium heat until the ivy gourd is well cooked and tender. Stir them regularly so that they cook evenly.
-
My ivy squash was very tender, so total cooking time was about 15 minutes.
-
Turn off the heat. Sprinkle some chopped coriander leaves (optional). You also squeeze some lemon juice and serve.
- When purchasing ivy gourd, always buy the ones that are tender. Avoid using ivy gourds that have become frosted and red inside.
- You can leave out the onion and chillies and stir-fry immediately with some masala powder.
- You can also add grated coconut, which tastes very good.
- Seasonings can be adjusted to your taste preference.
- You cut the ivy gourd in advance and can also store the chopped ivy gourd for a few days. Chopped ivy gourd will keep for 5 to 6 days. Store them in a ziplock bag or airtight container and store them in the refrigerator.
SOME VEGETARIAN RECIPES YOU MAY LIKE * Easy Garlic Broccoli
* Bitter Gourd Stir Fry
* Amaranth Leaves Stir Fry
* Mushroom Pepper Bake
* Karamani Sundal / Black Eyed Peas Stir Fry
* Panch Phoran Potato Brinjal Stir Fry
* Radish stir fry
* Okra Stir Fry
* Aloo Gobi Sabji (cauliflower-potato curry)
* Beach style peanut sundal
* Aloo Pitika (mashed potatoes)
All these recipes are super easy to prepare, ready in no time and will never disappoint you.
Well, if you make this easy ivy gourd stir fry recipe, I will be happy if you take some time to rate the recipe and leave a feedback in the comment box below. You can also take a photo and tag it Akum Raj Jamir on Facebook and akumrajjamir on Instagram with hashtag #atmykitchen. I would like to see your creations.
Thank you so much for stopping by my blog. I hope you liked the recipe. Your valuable feedback is always welcome, I love hearing from you and always do my best to respond to each of you.
Have fun cooking!
Love Akum
