DONDAKAYA NUVVU PODI KURA (IVY GOURD STIR FRY WITH SEASAME SEED POWDER)

Dondakaya -- Ivy gourd or Gherkins in English, this is a popular vegetable in India. It is eaten as a side dish by stir frying or stuffed it with masala and sauted or as a chutney (dipping). this small green colored vegetable is rich in beta-carotene.we make some delicious stir fry dishes with different flavours.This Ivy gourd stir fries are good combination for rice and dal.In this array of Ivy gourd stir fry s this recipe is with delicious nutty flavour and very well go with sambar or dal thadka so let's check it out ...

INGREDIENTS:--
Ivy gourd -- 1/2 kg(500 gms)
Oil --- 1 tab sp
Garlic cloves --- 5 crushed
Mustard seeds -- 1/2 tea sp
Urad dal --- 1 tea sp
Cumin seeds -- 1/2 teasp
Curry leaves -- 1 spring
Salt -- 1 teasp
Turmeric powder --1/4 tea sp

FOR MASALA POWDER:--
Seasame seeds -- 1 tad sp
Coriander seeds -- 1 tea sp
Dry coconut -- 1 tab sp (grated)
Cumin seeds -- 1 1/2 tea sp
Dry red chillies -- 5 or you can reduce according ti your taste.
1. Heat a pan and add cumin and coriander seeds, seasame seeds then add red chillies and fry till they turns in to nice golden color,now add grated dry coconut stir for a second switch off the heat and leave a side to cool.
2. Make a fine powder with above fried ingredients and leave a side.
3.Wash and wipe Ivy gourd cut the gourds in to small chunks.
4. Now heat oil in a deep frying pan add mustard seeds let them popup then add urad dal, cumin seeds, crushed garlic, curry leaves fry for a while.
5.Add Ivy gourd pieces,salt,turmeric powder give a good stir cover with a lid,reduce the flame and cook for 15 minutes,stir in between.
6.Check if the gourd pieces are cooked if not cooked again leave it in a low flame for 5 more minutes.
7.Remove the lid and add ground powder stir fry for 5 minutes to get a crisp Ivy gourd stir fry.(if you dont like crisp or deep fried then after adding the powder stir for 2 seconds and switch off the heat)
Serve hot with Rice and Sambar or tomato pappu,dosakaya pappu or any other dall you like.
Cuting the gourd is up to your choice you can cut them in to small chunks, round disc s or long pieces.
This same recipe you can make with Bitter gourd-Kakara kaya also.