Dondakaya kothimira karam kura

Dondakaya is a very common and widely consumed vegetable. It is available in India throughout the year. It is known as Kundru/Tindora/Tondli/Gherkins or Coccinia in different places. Dondakaya is a small oblong shaped smooth skinned light green to dark green vegetable, which is abundantly available all over India. It has a mild flavor with a crunchy juicy texture.

Dondakaya can be made into dry subzi, using different masalas. I am using kothimira karam( cilantro green chili mixture) to make a tasty and easy to cook subzi.

Normally, after cleaning fresh cilantro, I add a few green chilis and grind them together and store in the refrigerator. This mixture keeps fresh for about a week. Also, the cilantro does not go bad!

Fresh dondakaya:

Dondakaya cut and ready for microwave:

Dondakaya to be pressurecooked:

Ingredients:

•      About 25 to 30 dondakaya
•      1 cup kothimira (cilantro) (cleaned and chopped)
•      2 or 3 green chilis (according to taste)
•      salt to taste
•      2 to 3 tsp oil

Directions:

1.      Cut the dondakaya in quarter length wise, keeping them uncut at one end. 
2.      Put them in a microwave safe dish. Sprinkle a few drops of water.  Cover and microwave   for 3 to 4 minutes.
3.      Grind the kothimira and chilis together in a grinder.
4.      Heat a deep pan and put oil.
5.      Add the microwaved dondakaya to the pan.
6.      Add the kothimira mixture and salt.
7.      Add a few drops of water, if the paste is too dry.
8.      Cook on low heat for 5 to 10 minutes till the vegetable is soft.
9.      Alternately, if you have time, stuff a little bit of the masala mixture in each dondakaya.
10.      Pan fry in hot oil for a few minutes.
11.      Instead of microwaving, you can heat a pressure cooker, add oil and add the dondakaya. Add the masala and add a little water (2 or 3 tbsp.) and pressure cook.
12.      After 2 whistles, stop the heat. Open the cooker and cook for a few minutes till the fluid evaporates.

Alternate masalas:

Dondakaya can be cooked using egg plant masala, onion masala also. Instead of making the stuffed variety, you can cut the dondakaya into pieces and flavor the subzi with any of the masalas suggested in masalasetc