This is a very simple and delicious rice dish prepared with Ivy gourd. Ivy Gourd is known as kovakkai in Tamil, dondakaya in Telugu and kundroo/tendli in Hindi, tondekayi in Kannada and kovaykka in Malayalam. Ivy gourd is rich in beta-carotene and fiber. You can make a variety of dishes using kovakkai. You can make tindora fry, tindora curry, chutney and even sambar with tindora. Today we will see how to make Tindora rice/Dondakaya annam following this easy recipe with step wise pictures.
Tindora Rice-Ivy Gourd Rice-Dondakaya Pulao-Kovakkai Sadam
Prep Time : 10 mins
Cook Time : 20 mins
Serves: 2
Recipe Category: Rice Dish-Lunch-Main Course
Recipe Cuisine: South Indian
Author:Padhu Sankar
Serves: 2
Recipe Category: Rice Dish-Lunch-Main Course
Recipe Cuisine: South Indian
Author:Padhu Sankar
Ingredients needed
Basmati Rice – 1 cup
Onion – 1
Ivy Gourd/Tindora – 250 grams / 1/4 kg
Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
Salt needed
Fresh Lemon juice – 2 tsp (optional)
Masala Paste – Fry and Grind
Oil – 3/4 tsp
Cumin seeds (jeera) – 1 tsp
Red Chillies – 5
Garlic cloves – 5
Pearl onions – 10
Grated coconut – 2 tbsp
For the seasoning
Oil – 3 tbsp
Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
Curry Leaves – a sprig
For garnishing
Fresh Coriander Leaves – 2 tbsp finely chopped
Preparation
Wash and soak basmati rice for 30 minutes in 2 cups of water. Cook rice in a pan with lid until rice is soft. Fluff it with a fork and keep it aside. If you are a beginner, check out how to cook basmati rice.
Wash, cut off the ends and slice tindora thinly lengthwise. Cut onions also lengthwise and keep it aside.
Heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds, when it sizzles, add red chillies, garlic and chopped pearl onions (small onions). When onions turn transparent, add grated coconut and saute for a few more minutes. Remove from heat. Once it cools, grind it to a paste. This is the masala for this dish.
Method
Heat oil, add mustard seeds, when it splutter, add thinly sliced onions, curry leaves and saute until onions turn transparent.
Add thinly sliced ivy gourd, turmeric powder, salt needed and cook covered until ivy gourd becomes tender. Stir in between for even cooking.
Then add the masala paste and cook well for another 5 minutes stirring on medium heat.
Then add the cooked rice, lemon juice and mix gently. Garnish with coriander leaves.
Serve with any raitha, papads or any gravy of your choice. This dish can be packed for office and school lunchbox also.
How to pick/buy Tindora – When buying tindora, select small one which are slender and bright green in color. Do not buy matured ivy gourds as they are mostly ripe and red in color. But in case, if the ivy gourd you buy tends to be red in color, do not throw it, use it for making tindora chutney.
More Tindora (kovakkai) Recipes
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Never tried rice dish with tindora..looks yumm
I tried this today. It was yummy. Thank u for the recipe 🙂
Hi Padhu, will it be okay if I try cooking the rice alone with tindora? I usually do this with many other rice items since it is easier for me to cook it this way , also easier to mix uncooked rice with the curry.
Yes, you can do that also.
Padhu, Can we replace the pearl onions mentioned under "To fry and grind" with 1 big onion ?
Thanks !
Of course, you can.
Thanks for the reply Padhu. I made this rice and it turned out super tasty !
Found it unique from usual rice dishes.
Thanks for sharing yet another delicious recipe !
Tried this and it turned out to be a hit .. thnx for the recipe
i am not an inspired cook and your recipes really help me ! a big thanks for this kovakkai rice recipie too .. i keep using it time and again and enjoying time and again
Instead of lemon can v add curd
Not for this recipe.
Every body at home n at my workplace turned towards me for this dish… Today I m trying the recipe for 3 .5 cups of rice… Kinda tensed… But thank u so much.. haven’t seen my husband eat a variety rice this interestingly
Can we cook this kovakka rice without onion and garlic….
Yes,you can.