Gutti Dondakaya Vepudu – Stuffed Tindora – Stuffed Kovakkai

Gutti Dondakaya Vepudu – is a stir fry dish hailing from Andhra.. this simple dish made with Tindora / Ivy Gourd / Kovakkai -which are stuffed with special Andhra style spice blend (karam podi) The recipe is roughly based on the post shared by Sailusfood where you find mouthwatering authentic dishes from Andhra, thanks Sailu for this lovely recipe 🙂 we all enjoyed this spicy stir fry with sambar sadam!

Try our KOVAKKAI SADAM / TINDORA RICE

Ingredients

• Dondakaya / Koavakkai / Tindora – 1 pound (25 to 30)
• Oil – 3 tablespoons
• Cumin seeds – 1 teaspoon
• Curry leaves – a few
• Salt – 3/4 teaspoon
• Turmeric powder – 1/2 teaspoon
• Asafoetida – 1/4 teaspoon
• Coriander leaves – for garnish

Ingredients for stuffing (spice powder)

• Dry Red Chilli – 6 (you may use half kashmir chillies for color)
• Coriander seeds – 2 tablespoons
• Cumin seeds – 1 teaspoon
• Sesame seeds – 1 tablespoon
• Chana dal / Kadala paruppu – 1 & 1/2 tablespoons
• Dry coconut  powder /  Copra – 2 tablespoons

Try our KOVAKKAI FRY

Lets see how to make this Gutti Dondakaya Vepudu…

First roast coriander seeds, cumin seeds, sesame seeds and chana dal with a drop of oil in a kadai for 5 minutes.  Slow roast till it gets light brown spots. Remove and cool. In the same pan dry roast the sesame seeds along with dry red chilies for few minutes. Let them cool and grind it along with dry coconut powder / copra + turmeric powder + asafoetida  & salt. Make a coarse powder and keep it ready.

Wash the ivy gourd/ tindora / tindli / kovakkai … chop of the tail ends of the veggie and slit along lengthwise as shown.

Stuff a little of that powder in each of those ivy gourd.

Now heat oil in a wide frying pan… season with cumin seeds and curry leaves. Line these stuffed gourd along with whatever leftover spice powder. Fry them over low medium flame for 5 minutes.

Now bring the flame to low, cover with a lid and cook for 20 minutes. Try our KOVAKKAI MASALA

Flip them now and then… make sure to roast evenly.

By this time the veggies will cook tender and the masala powder will thicken and the mixture will turn kind of dry.  Here is another Andhra style stir fry DONDAKAYA VEPUDU

Switch off and garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve.

Notes

• Serves 4
• You may use kashmir chillies for extra rich red color to the fry.
• If you prefer it spicy, then add more dry red chili (spicy variety)
• For variation add garam masala or even use sambar powder for stuffing but include coconut which is a must for this recipe.
• I have used copra / dry coconut for this recipe. You may use dry desiccated coconut.