u003cstrongu003eQ: Is tindora/ dondakaya biryani traditional?u003c/strongu003e

A: While not a royal dish, u003cstrongu003eivy gourd biryani is a modern home-style adaptationu003c/strongu003e rooted in South Indian kitchens, especially during no onion–no tomato cooking days or festivals.

Tindora Dum Biryani, How to make Kovakka/ Dondakaya Biryani

This Ivy Gourd Dum Biryani was born from a mix of curiosity and inspiration — two things I’ve inherited from my mom. She’s always been the kind of cook who finds joy in unconventional combinations, turning everyday vegetables into celebration-worthy dishes. Watching her, I learned that you don’t always need onion or tomato to create depth — just imagination, curry leaves, curd, and maybe a handful of golden cashews.

One day, while trying to recreate the Andhra-style dum biryani I love from restaurants, I skipped the usual carrots and beans — and reached for kovakka (tindora/dondakaya) instead. The result? A layered, aromatic biryani that was a super hit at home. The tindora soaked up the masala beautifully, held its shape through the dum, and gave the dish a rustic, South Indian soul with a Hyderabadi-style heart.

If you’ve ever wondered what else kovakka could do, let this recipe be your delicious answer.

Bite of History – Tindora Dum Biryani

While biryani often brings to mind images of royal feasts and rich gravies, the truth is — the method of dum cooking with humble, everyday ingredients has quietly existed in Indian homes for generations. From slow-cooked rice dishes in South Indian Brahmin kitchens to simplified one-pot biryanis made in modest Muslim households when meat wasn’t available, this style of cooking was born out of necessity, resourcefulness, and love.

These dishes may not have made it to royal menus or historical texts, but they carried something just as valuable — flavor built from simplicity. Sealed pots, gentle spices, and homegrown vegetables formed their own kind of legacy. And this ivy gourd biryani, made without onion or tomato, is just another chapter in that evolving story — a quiet tribute to the unsung genius of everyday cooking.

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Ingredients & Their Role – Dondakaya/ Kovakka Biryani

Ingredient	Role in the Dish
Basmati rice	Forms the aromatic, fluffy base that holds layers of masala and spice.
Tindora (ivy gourd / kovakka / dondakaya)	Star vegetable — stays firm yet tender, and absorbs the masala deeply.
Curd (thick)	Adds body, tang, and richness in place of tomato. Helps bind and balance the spice.
Ginger	Adds earthy sharpness and warmth — essential in the absence of onion.
Garlic	Brings a savory base note and natural umami, enhancing depth and grounding the curd-based masala.
Green chilies	Provides fresh heat and a sharp, lively aroma. Cuts through richness.
Curry leaves	Infuses classic South Indian aroma; adds character to the masala.
Cashews	Adds richness and texture. Fried in ghee for golden crunch and garnishing.
Mint leaves	Brings brightness and cooling contrast to the warm masala.
Coriander leaves	Adds herbal freshness and balances the bold spices.
Ghee	Core flavor carrier — used for frying, roasting, and finishing. Adds aroma, depth, and traditional dum biryani soul.
Turmeric powder	Gives earthy flavor and vibrant golden color. Balances the acidity of curd.
Red chili powder	Brings color and heat — essential in the absence of tomato.
Coriander powder	Adds mild citrusy depth and supports the curd and tindora base.
Fennel powder	Offers a sweet-spicy warmth and subtle lift — distinctly South Indian.
Whole spices (bay leaf, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom)	Lightly perfume the rice while cooking. Infuses a mild spice note into every grain.
Saffron milk	Adds a touch of elegance, fragrance, and festive golden hue to the layered rice.
Salt	Essential to bring all flavors together — added in both rice and masala layers.

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Tindora Dum Biryani, How to make Kovakka/ Dondakaya Biryani

Recipe by Sandhya Riyaz

5.0 from 3 votes

Course: Main courseCuisine: South Indian, Hyderabadi FusionDifficulty: Easy

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Dum Time

minutes

Soaking Time

minutes

A no onion, no tomato dum biryani made with tindora (ivy gourd), curd, curry leaves, and a homemade fennel-spiced masala. A flavorful South Indian-style vegetarian biryani, perfect for festive or everyday cooking.

Ingredients for Tindora biryani

For the Rice:
1½ cups, 1½ Basmati rice (aged, soaked for 30 minutes)
4 nos., 4 Cloves
1 inch, 1 Cinnamon stick
2 nos., 2 Cardamom
Salt , to taste
Water, as needed to boil rice
1 tablespoon, 1 Oil
6- 8 leaves, 6- 8 Mint leaves
For the Tindora Masala:
2 cups, 2 Tindora (ivy gourd / kovakka / dondakaya), thinly sliced lengthwise (250 grams)
1 tablespoon, 1 Ginger (grated)
1 teaspoon, 1 Garlic (finely grated or crushed)
3 nos., 3 Green chilies (slit)
2 sprigs, 2 Curry leaves
8 to 10 nos., 8 to 10 Cashews
¾ cup, ¾ Thick curd (whisked, room temperature)
¼ cup, ¼ Mint leaves (chopped)
2 tablespoon, 2 Coriander leaves (chopped)
4 tablespoon, 4 Ghee
Salt, to taste
1 tablespoon, 1 Whole Spices (Cinnamon stick, Cloves, Bay leaf)
½ teaspoon, ½ Black Peppercorn
Spice Powder Blend:
½ teaspoon, ½ Turmeric powder
1¼ tablespoon, 1¼ Red chili powder (adjust to taste)
2 teaspoon, 2 Coriander powder
1 teaspoon, 1 Cumin powder
½ teaspoon, ½ Fennel powder
For Layering:
¼ teaspoon, ¼ Saffron (soaked in warm milk)
2 tablespoon, 2 Warm Milk
Mint and coriander – a handful, for garnish
Fried cashews, for garnish
Ghee, to drizzle over final rice layer

Directions to make Ivy Gourd Biryani

Soak the Rice
Rinse basmati rice 2–3 times until water runs clear.
Soak in water for 30 minutes.
Drain just before cooking.
Soak Saffron
Soak a few strands of saffron in 2 tablespoons of warm milk. Let it sit for 10–15 minutes to release its color and aroma.
Cook the Rice
In a large pot, bring plenty of water to boil with bay leaf, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, few mint leaves, 1 tbsp oil and salt.
Add soaked basmati rice and cook until it is 80% done — the grains should be long, separate, and slightly firm inside.
Drain and spread the rice gently on a plate to cool while you prepare the masala.
Wash and Slice
Wash tindora well. Trim the ends and slice thin lengthwise.
Prepare the Tindora Masala
Heat ghee in a heavy-bottomed kadai.
Add halved cashews and fry until golden. Remove and set aside for garnish.
In the same ghee, add curry leaves, slit green chilies, grated ginger, and garlic. Sauté until aromatic.
Add the sliced tindora and sauté for 5–6 minutes, until slightly softened but still firm.
Sprinkle in the spice powders — turmeric, red chili, coriander, cumin powder and fennel powder. Add salt. Mix gently to coat the tindora well.
Lower the flame and add chopped mint, and coriander leaves.
Add whisked curd, Add 1/4 cup water .Cook on low flame, stirring gently, until the curd thickens and the masala coats the tindora evenly. Turn off the heat.
Layering the Biryani
In a thick-bottomed biryani pot or handi, spread a layer of the prepared tindora masala at the bottom.
Add a layer of cooked rice on top.
Sprinkle some chopped mint and coriander leaves, a few fried cashews, and a spoonful of saffron milk.
Repeat layers if needed, ending with a layer of rice, saffron milk, and a final drizzle of ghee.
Dum Cooking
Cover the biryani pot with a tight lid, sealing the edges with foil or chapati dough to trap the steam.
Place the pot on a hot iron tawa or griddle over low flame.
Cook on dum for 20 minutes.
Turn off the flame and let the biryani rest for 10 minutes before opening.
Gently fluff with a fork before serving.

Notes

1 cup = 250 ml

Directions to Tindora Dum Biryani with step by step images

Soak the Rice
Rinse basmati rice 2–3 times until water runs clear.
Soak in water for 30 minutes.
Drain just before cooking.
Soak Saffron
Soak a few strands of saffron in 2 tablespoons of warm milk. Let it sit for 10–15 minutes to release its color and aroma.
Wash and Slice
Wash tindora/ kovakka well. Trim the ends and slice thin lengthwise.
Boil the Rice
Cook soaked basmati rice with whole spices and salt until 80% done.
Drain and keep aside to cool slightly.
Make the Tindora Masala
Heat ghee in a kadai. Fry cashews until golden; set aside.
In the same pan, sauté curry leaves, green chilies, ginger, and garlic.
Sauté Tindora
Add the sliced tindora to the pan and sauté on medium heat for 5–6 minutes, until they begin to soften but still hold their shape.
Make the Tindora Masala
Add turmeric, red chili, coriander, fennel powders, and salt. Mix well.
Lower the flame. Add curd, mint, and coriander leaves.
Cook until the masala thickens and coats the tindora well.
Add Curd:
Add curd. Cook in low flame until the masala thickens and coats the tindora well. Add 1/4 cup water.
Layer and Dum Cook the Biryani
In a biryani pot, spread a layer of prepared tindora masala, followed by a layer of cooked rice. Sprinkle mint, coriander, saffron milk, and fried cashews. Repeat the layers and finish with rice, more saffron milk, and a final drizzle of ghee. Seal the pot tightly with foil or dough, place it over a hot tawa, and dum cook on low flame for 20 minutes. Let it rest for 10 minutes before opening. Fluff gently and serve hot.

Kovakka biryani being layered with curd masala and basmati rice in a dum pot

Pro Tips to make tasty Tindora Dum Biryani

Use aged basmati rice for fluffy, separate grains that hold up well to dum cooking.
Slice tindora evenly so they cook uniformly and absorb masala properly.
Always use thick curd at room temperature to avoid curdling when added to the hot pan.
Don’t overcook tindora — they should be soft yet retain a light crunch after dum.
Let the biryani rest after dum cooking. It helps the flavors settle and the layers stay intact when serving.
A final drizzle of ghee over the rice layer before dum makes a big flavor difference!

Serving Suggestion Ivy Gourd Biryani

This tindora dum biryani pairs beautifully with:

A simple cucumber or boondi raita
Tempered curd (mustard seeds + curry leaves in ghee)
A spoon of mango pickle or lemon pickle for contrast
A glass of chilled mango lassi or plain curd to cool the palate

Tindora dum biryani served on a plate, made without onion or tomato, South Indian style

FAQ – Kovakka/ Dondakaya Biryani

Q: Can I make this biryani without onion and garlic?

A: Yes, just skip the garlic and the recipe still works beautifully. The ghee, ginger, fennel, and mint bring enough depth to make this a flavorful no onion no garlic tindora biryani.

Q: What is the best rice to use for tindora/ kovakka biryani?

A: Use aged basmati rice for vegetarian dum biryani — it absorbs flavors well and keeps its shape through the layering and dum process.

Q: How do I prevent curd from curdling in no tomato biryani recipes?

A: Use thick curd at room temperature, lower the flame before adding, and stir continuously. This is especially important in biryani recipes without tomato to maintain a creamy masala.

Q: Is tindora/ dondakaya biryani traditional?

A: While not a royal dish, ivy gourd biryani is a modern home-style adaptation rooted in South Indian kitchens, especially during no onion–no tomato cooking days or festivals.

Q: Can I use other vegetables instead of tindora in this no onion tomato biryani?

A: Yes! You can try this method with raw banana, bottle gourd, brinjal, or ridge gourd — all work well with the same masala and dum technique.