Tindora /Kovakka Palya(Dried Coconut curry)

Today I am going to share a different dish,it is a karnataka cuisine called Palya...It is a different version of kerala style thoran..The taste is really good as thoran ..Good with rice and roti.We can use any kind of vegetable for the preparation of this palya..Here i used tindoora ( kovakka) for this dish. I have already posted the kerala dish -tindora thoran..

Tindora is available in almost all indian grocery shops...It is known in different names in difeerent places in india,for example in malyalam it's kovakka; in tamil it's kovakkai; dondakkaya in kannada; tondli in marathi etc..Some times it is referred as baby watermelon or little gourd becasuse of its shape...

Whenevr i prepare the kovakka dish it brings me to the days I spent in my cousine sister's home because i started eating the dish from her home only..My amma's sister's kovakka mezhukkupiratti and thoran were mouth-watering dishes. In almost all summer vacation we used to visit her home..there my cousuin sisters had their own kitchen garden and had variety of vegetables..that days we used to get all vegetables from their garden  itself...The kovakka was one of them..Picking the kovakka itself had lots of fun...I miss those wonderful days..at first i was not that fond of tindora but  i don't know once i started eating that i really loved that vegetable dishes..May be my valiyamma's kaipunyam is in that dish... 
My husband used to ask me whether I  addicted to this tindora because whenever we visit the indian grocery i want buy this vegetable...In Indian store I usually can see the crowd around tindora, brinjal and okra  sections..really it is a very demanded vegetable for all Indians..all state have their own unique dishes with this vegetable...I used to prepare tindora mezhukkupiratti because my husband doesn't like the thoran ,when I prepared this dish he said it has more taste compared to the thoran.

Anyway, let me talk about the preparation..Hope you will  also try this tindora palya..

Cost of the item 0.99usd/pound

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

Tindora : 1 pound

Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp

Water: 1/4 cup

Garlic: 2 pods

Redonion: 1 medium size

Tomato: 1 small

Green chili : 3 nos

Grated Coocnut : 1/4 cup

Salt : to taste

Sugar: 1/2 tbs

Oil : 2 tbs

Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp

Bengal gram(kadalaparippu): 2 tbs

Lemon juice: 1/2 tsp

Preparation

• Cut the kovakka into small size,lengthwise or round shaped...What i did is i cut them lengthwise  into 4 made halves of them..
• Cook the kovakka with turmeric powder until kovakka get completely cooked..Be careful don't overcook it..so add water carefully 
• Heat oil in apan,Add mustard seeds once its started spluttering add the Bengal gram.
• Once the dal get slight brown color add the crushed garlic...then add the diced red onion, splitted geen chili and tomato.Saute well.
• Add the turmeric powder and fry until the onions get brown color..In between add the sugar. Saute well.
• Add the cooked kovakka into the mix..stir well..
• Add the grated coconut into the whole mix and stir well..cook for 2 minutes..
• Sprinkle the lemon juice ..Switch off the heat..
• Garnish it with corinder leaves

The delicious Kovakka Palya is ready to have..

Cook's tip:

1. Do not overcook the kovakka...It will spoil the entire dish 
2. Do not add more sugar.and lemon juice..