This Chemmeen Kovakka Thoran is a simple yet flavor packed Kerala lunch side dish recipe. Vegetables cooked with fish/meat is a common dish in Kerala.
However, apart from the potatoes I add to meat/chicken dishes, I rarely cook this kinda dishes. There's no particular reason as such, but it doesn't happen often.
How about you? Are you a fan of such dishes?
Anyways, here I've used small variety of prawns and kovakka (ivy gourd) to make a thoran for lunch. I like both prawns and kovakka, so the idea of these two combined together appealed to me!
It was different from the usual veggie thoran and a welcome change to our usual lunch menu. This chemmeen kovakka thoran with rice and kachimoru makes for a comforting lunch.
Do give it a try and let me know what you think?
Btw, check out other similar recipes like beef kaya, unakka chemmeen muringakka curry
Ingredients
- 150 gms Cleaned Prawns (measured after cleaning (refer notes))
- 250 gms Kovakka (sliced into thin rounds)
- 1 Onion, small size (sliced)
- 1.5 -2 tsp Minced garlic
- 3/4 cup Grated coconut
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder (divided)
- 1.5 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
- 1/4 tsp Pepper powder
- 6 Small/Pearl onion (sliced)
- 2 Green chilli (slit lengthwise)
- 2 tbsp Coconut oil
- 1/4 tsp Mustard seeds
- Curry leaves
- Salt
Instructions
- Marinate cleaned prawns with salt, 1/4 tsp turmeric powder and 1/2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder.
- Crush coconut with a pinch of turmeric and keep aside.
- Heat oil (1 tbsp) in a wide pan and add sliced onion and minced garlic. Cook till it begins to brown.
- Add 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder and 1/4 tsp pepper powder. Cook for 2-3 mins, till the raw smell goes.
- Add sliced kovakka and mix well. Cover and cook for 10-12 mins, till kovakka is half done.
- Add marinated prawns and cook covered for another 10 mins. Make sure the water is dried completely.
- Heat oil (1 tbsp) in another pan and crackle mustard seeds. Add sliced pearl onions and green chillies. Cook till the onions begin to brown.
- Add crushed coconut and cook on low flame for 5-6 mins or till the raw smell goes.
- Add cooked prawns and kovakka. Mix well. Cover and cook for another 2-3 mins. Switch off flame and add curry leaves and drizzle 1 tsp of coconut oil.