Crisp Curried Kovakkai (Tindora or Ivy Gourd)

The summer after my dad, an Air Force pilot, received the Vir Chakra (bravery award), my grandfather insisted we visit him so he could show his son's medals off to his cohorts in the village where he had retired. My grandpa was very proud of his progeny and, to our great embarrassment, was not modest about it. :) He would flaunt us to all and sundry. He was especially proud of his grandkids: he would line us up like the kids in "Sound of Music" and we would all stand there in teen akwardness, squirming, as he embellished our achievements to his friends.

We traveled for over 2 days by rail and car to reach the arid little village deep down south. It was sweltering hot and dusty. The only water source in the village was the Kaveri river, which flowed in fits and starts depending on the rain fall. The house where my grandfather lived did not even have a ceiling fan. It was a typical village house, with its "thinnai" (concrete bench in front) where the old, toothless, pan-chewing, retired cronies of my grandfather would gather to gossip every evening. The only amusement that my sisters and I had during that visit was the large swing that graced the living room. Each of us raided my grandfather's huge library of old books and would drape ourselves on the swing, lazily reading all day long. We weren't allowed to go the river on our own, and we had no friends there, so we spent each day reading, or bickering with each other, if we got too bored.

My grandfather had a cook who prepared the meals so we did not even have the distraction of helping in kitchen to keep us occupied. The cook made standard fare for each meal: rice, sambar, and vegetables. Even the vegetables that were available in that little village that summer were standard fare: potatoes, tomatoes, green chilis and "kovakkai" (also called "Tindora" or "Ivy Gourd"). Only these vegetables could withstand the extremely hot climate and survive with very little watering. So, it was Kovakkai for lunch nearly every day.

If we complained about the lack of variety, my grandpa would regale us with long, imaginative stories which always ended with a moral. In this case, the moral of the story was the health benefits of this hardy vegetable. According to grandpa, the Kovakkai was a fountain of nutrients and a great vegetable for lowering blood sugar levels for persons with mild diabetes. Not all grandpa's nutritional information turned out right, but Diabeteshealth.com, has validated his theory about Ivy Gourd. :) Ivy Gourd is a good source of beta-carotene, protein and fiber. Studies show that while it has the capacity to reduce blood sugar levels if consumed regularly, it has no adverse side-effects.

And so it is - my memories of that summer are filled with the aroma of curried Kovakkai, the sight of half-naked urchins splashing in the flowing Kaveri river, the thrill of rooting through dusty old books and the teen bashfulness of being dragged out to be presented to grandpa's old cronies and sundry villagers!

In grandpa's honor, here is the recipe for Curried Kovakkai. Very easy-to-make and an unfailing favorite.

Here is what you need:
2 lb Kovakkai (Tindora or Ivy Gourd) (buy them fresh, green and tender)
1/2 tsp black mustard seeds
1 tsp salt
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp red chili powder
3 tbsp olive oil

Here is how you make this:
Wash the kovakkai thoroughly. Slice into thin slices as shown in the picture. When you slice them, they should be green inside. If any of the Kovakkai's have ripened and is red inside, set it aside - it wont taste good in the curry.

Heat oil in a pan. When the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds. Wait for them to crackle and add the sliced Kovakkai. Sprinkle salt, chili powder and turmeric powder. Lower the heat and roast on a slow flame, nearly for half hour or more until cooked crisp. Turn regularly.

Serve hot with rice and rasam or rice and unsweetened yogurt.