Kovakkai (Gherkins) Curry

          I haven't had this vegetable that much before marriage, and afterwards also, didn't cook it much. Only after coming here, and when the choice of Indian vegetables became less, I started buying these mini cucumbers ( yep, that's how they describe them, but definitely I can't eat them raw). Even now, I make only a couple of dishes with these gherkins ( they are also known as tindora), this fry being one of them..

Need To Have

• Kovakkai - 2 cups (liquid measure) sliced
• Onion - 1 big chopped
• Turmeric Powder - 1/2 teaspoon
• Chilli Powder - 1/2 teaspoon
• Sambar Powder - 1 teaspoon
• Mustard Seeds - 1 teaspoon
• Urad Dal - 1 tablespoon
• Asafoetida - 1/2 teaspoon
• Curry Leaves - 1 sprig

Method
          Heat oil, add the mustard seeds and the urad dal, when the spluttering stops, add the asafoetida, curry leaves and the chopped onions. Saute the onions till they turn transparent, then add the kovakkai, turmeric powder and salt, cover and cook till tender. Remove the lid, add the sambar and chilli powder, mix, if needed add a little more oil and keep cooking on reduced heat till they shrink and start turning a little brown here and there. It goes well with both rice and rotis.

Sending it to Food Corner for the Midweek Fiesta event and
                to Zesty Palette for Priya's Healthy Diet - Vegetarian Side Dishes event.

Note
If you don't have sambar powder, increase the chilli powder to 3/4th teaspoon and add 1 teaspoon of coriander powder with it.
Can also add some chopped tomatoes at the very end, cover and cook for a couple of mins.