Kovakkai / Tindora raw peanuts fry

Total time:  less than 40 minutes
Preparation time: less than 15 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Serves : 2 ~ 3

Ingredients:
1 ½ cups Ivy gourd ~ gherkins/kovakkai/Tindora / Dondakaya
½ cup sliced onion
1 green chilies slit into two
½ cup raw peanuts
2 tbsp shredded coconut
¼ turmeric powder
1 ½ tsp curry powder or to taste
 or
½ tsp red chili powder
½ tsp coriander powder
Water as needed
Salt to taste

1 tbsp oil
¼ tsp mustard seed
10 ~ 12 fresh curry leaves

Method:

Preparation:

• Trim both the ends of tindora and cut it lengthy and thinly.
• Cook raw peanuts in boiling water till soft. cool, drain it and remove the shell and keep it aside.
• Slice onion and green chilies and keep it aside.

Cooking:

• Heat oil in a skillet in medium heat.
• Add mustard seeds and allow it to splutter. Add curry leaves and onion, saute for a minute.
• Add tindora and green chili. Cover the pan with lid and cook it for 5 minutes in med-low heat.
• When tindora become soft and shiny add turmeric powder, curry powder and salt.
• Mix it together and saute for a minute.
• To this add ½ cup of water and peanuts, cover the lid and allow it to cook in medium heat for another few minutes or till done.
• Adjust salt and spice to taste.
• When water dries out, add shredded coconut, mix and fry it 30 seconds and turn off the heat.
• Serve with any rice or roti.