Dondakaya koora / ivy gourd comfort
Originally published at finding my words. Please leave any comments there.
Okay. So, I didn’t know the english word for dondakaya, so I just looked it up. It says “ivy gourd” is the english name. Has anyone ever heard of ivy gourd? (Alternatively they said “gentlemen’s toes” but that can’t be right. Who would want to eat that? Ivy gourd at least sounds a little bit pretty.) They are green cucumber-type vegetables about the size of a small adult’s fingers. They are also one of my ABSOLUTE favorite veggies, and this is my favorite recipe for them. It’s so simple (and maybe it’s the simplicity that appeals to me so much), but tasty, and makes me happy to eat it.
Dondakaya Koora / Ivy Gourd Comfort
Ingredients
* 4 cups sliced dondakaya (After thoroughly washing, I split the dondakayya in half lengthwise, then, pinching the two halves together, I rotate it so the cut is parallel to the cutting board, then slice it 3 more times lengthwise, then cut all those in half widthwise. That is a good size for them; although, I’ve seen people just dice it so they end up with lots of little circles, and that works fine too.)
* 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
* 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
* red chili powder, as much as you can handle
* salt, to taste
* 1/2 cup besan (garbonzo bean flour)
* 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Process
1) Sautee the chopped dondakaya with the salt and turmeric. Keep it covered and stir occasionally until the dondakaya is soft.
2) Remove the lid. Add the black pepper, chili powder (optional). Add the besan and mix thoroughly (you don’t want to see any dry bits of besan; it should adhere to all the veggie bits). Don’t put the lid back on. Keep stirring for another 3-4 minutes.
That’s it. Now eat and enjoy. It tastes great with chapathis or rice.