Okra Masala - Taste of South India

Vendaikai Masala:

Other Names: Bhindi Masala - Tamil Nadu Style. Bhindi Subzi. Lady's Finger Fry. Vendaikai Varuval. Bendakaya Kura.

Ingredients:

Okra/lady's finger - 1 pound
Green chilies 3 sliced
Red onion 1 large sliced
Ginger 1" grated
Garlic 2 pods minced
Tomato 1 small - crushed
Salt
Turmeric 1/4 spoon
Chili powder 1 spoon
Sesame oil few spoons
Thalippu Vadagam - 1 spoon
Mustard seeds 1/4 spoon
Cumin seeds 1/4 spoon
Asafoetida 1 pinch
Curry leaves few.

Method:

Trim the ends and chop the veggie into 1-2" size bits.

In a wide wok, heat oil and the spices, followed by chilies, ginger-garlic, onions and tomatoes...fry real good till aromatic.

Now, add salt, turmeric and chili powder. Stir-in okras and stir-fry over high heat, till the texture is crisp without slime!

Serve warm as a side dish.

Oven Baked Okra in Yogurts Based Curry - Healthy Option!

Vendaikai Mor-Kuzhambu:

Other Names: Bhindi Kadhi. Vendaka Mor Curry.

Ingredients:

Okra 1 large bowl full
Yogurts 4 cups
Salt
Turmeric powder 1/4 spoon
Asafoetida 1/4 spoon
Oil few spoons.

Wet Grind these to a Thick Paste:

Pepper 1-2 spoons
Green chilies 5
Thoor dal 1 cup - soaked
Tomato 1
Ginger 3-4 inch size. peeled.
Garlic 4 -5 cloves

For Tempering:

Mustard seeds 1/2 spoon
Cumin seeds 1/4 spoon
Urad dal 1/4 spoon
Asafoetida 1/4 spoon
Dry red chilies 3
Curry leaves few
Oil few spoons
Oil for shallow frying.

Method:

Spray oil in an oven safe tray, spread the vegetables. Bake for 20-30 minutes over 350 degrees. Once the okras turn crisp on the outside and not so sticky anymore, remove from heat.

Heat oil in a wok, add wet ground paste to it. Fry them till the raw odor is gone.

Further add asafoetida, salt, turmeric and baked veggies. Mix them well. Then add yogurts and bring it to boil.

In a separate pan, heat oil. Add mustard, cumin, asafoetida, red chilies, pepper and curry leaves. Fry for a while...till they pop and splutter. Run this seasoning over the gravy made above.

Serve warm along with plain steamed rice.

Okra Pepper Stir-fry / Vendaikai Milagu Varuval

Bhindi Subzi:

Ingredients:

Okra/lady's finger 15-20 sliced lengthwise
Salt
Turmeric 1 pinch
Urad dal 1 spoon
Garlic 5 minced
Pepper powder 1-2 teaspoons
Mustard seeds 1/4 spoon
Sesame oil few spoons
Curry leaves few.

Method:

Take a very wide, heavy bottomed skillet. Yeah, bit unusually!...for a small portion of vegetables, an extra large wok! This will ensure uniform heat to the pan...and we can bring forth 'not so mushy, sticky okras' as an end result. Isnt that exciting!

Well, now grease your pan. Add the mustard seeds and wait till it sputters. Then add the urid dal and wait till it get roasted to reddish color.

Add garlic and curry leaves. Once the raw odor of the garlic is gone, add the okras, salt and turmeric. Cover and cook for 2-4 minutes.

Then, remove the lid and add pepper powder and stir-fry over high heat for 5-7 minutes. Once the oil separates and okras turn crispy, its done.

Serve as a side dish ...I don't mind if you eat it right away:)

Bhindi Do Pyaz / Okra n Onions Stir-Fry - Simple Yet Delicious:)

Lady's Finger Masala:

Other Names: Vendaikai Masala. Bhindi Subzi. Bendakaye Kura.

Ingredients:

Okra/lady's finger 1/2 kilo
Onions large 2 - sliced
Coriander seeds 1/4 spoon
Cumin seeds 1/4 spoon
Salt
Turmeric 1/4 spoon
Chili powder 1 spoon
Coriander powder 1 spoon
Cumin seeds powder 1/2 spoon
Garam masala 1/4 spoon
Oil few spoons.

Method:

Heat oil in a wok, add the whole spices followed by onions, saute them

Add okras, and powdered spices...cover and cook, once the veggies is done, remove lid and stir-fry over high heat...until the stickiness is left from the okras.

Serve to go with chappathis or rotis.

Vendaikai Thokku / Okra Chutney / Bhidi Bhajji / Bendakaya Kura

Vendaikai Thokku:

Ingredients:

Okra/Lady's finger 1/2 kilo
Salt
Brown Sugar /Jaggery 2 spoons
Tamarind paste 1/2 spoon
Turmeric 1 pinch
Chili powder 1 spoon
Garam masala 1 pinch
Mustard seeds 1/4 spoon
Cumin seeds 1/2 spoon
Sesame oil few spoons
Curry leaves few.

Method:

In a wide wok, heat oil. Add the spices and wait till they sizzle a little.
Followed by sliced/finely chopped okras. Stir-fry briefly and add all the other ingredients. Cover and cook till tender.

Serve to go with rotis or pulkahs.

Stuffed Whole Okras / Stuffed Lady's Finger / Bharwa Bindi

Vendaikai Masala:

Gutti Bendakaya. Stuffed Vendaikai. Bindi Nirachadhu. Stuffed Whole Okras. Stuffed Lady's Finger. Bharwa Bindi.

Ingredients:

Fresh Okras
Salt
Turmeric powder 1/4 spoon
Chili powder 1 spoon
Garam masala 1/4 spoon
Onion grated 1/4 cup
Ginger-garlic paste 1/ spoon
Tomato 1 crushed
Oil for stir-frying.

Method:

Trim the ends and slit the okras.

Now mix all the above mentioned ingredients(except oil and okra).

Baste and fill the vegetable with above mixture.

Heat oil in a pan, stir-fry the veggies. Once the raw odor leaves the pan and the vegetable turns tender, its done.

Serve to go with your main meal, as a side dish.

Bhindi Karaari / Spicy Okra - Jiffy Cooking

Vendaikai Mandi

Vendaikai Masala Varuval. Vendaikai Mandi. Bhendakaya Koora. Bhendakaya Kura. Masala Bhindi. Bhindi Masala(Southern Style).

As I told you before' am kind of on and off with this Veg.Fast. I am trying to tweak my cooking style, with more G-R-E-E-N(vegetables I mean) rather than R-E-D (meat and stuff). Hmmm, though its not really satisfying, but its okay...I developed a special trait to adjust myself with Vegetarians these days.:)I used to whine a lot saying...vegetables take time, cleaning & cutting, ouch! Now, started seeing everything with a different glass...yep, its therapeutic to spend few more minutes in the kitchen and get rewarded with healthy-happy meal:)

Ingredients:

Okra/Lady's Finger 1/4 kilo
Garlic 6-8 cloves with skin-on crushed
Tomato 1 small
Salt
Turmeric 1/4 spoon
Chili powder 1/2 spoon
Paprika powder 1/2 spoon
Mango powder 1/2 spoon
Cumin-cilantro seeds powder 1/4 spoon
Oil few spoons
Mustard 1/4 spoon
Curry leaves few.

Method:

Heat oil in a pan. Add the mustards and wait till they pop.

Add garlic, curry leaves, tomatoes and followed by chopped veggies.

Add salt and cover and cook for few minutes.

Remove the lid and add the powdered spices, now continue cooking over high heat for about 5-7 minutes or until the vegetable turns crispy.

Serve to go with your pulkahs or chappathis.

Fried Okra - Mississippi Style

Breaded Okra:(Southern Style)

Mississippi Fried Okra.

I improvised this recipe after discussing with my friend Liza. She is a true Southerner, fries anything pretty good! She is a farmer too, raises lot of vegetables. I personally send her my fav' Indian vegetables list' which she loves to research a little' and then take pain to raise them for me! She would beautifully narrate 'how she managed to procure the seeds online' and figure soil condition and weather for the same and indeed, after tons of hard work...my fav' ridge gourd and taro roots will be delivered at my house:) Isn't that sweet:)

Ingredients:

Whole Okra - ends trimmed and chopped into bite size bits
Bread crumbs 1 cup
Egg whites 2
Salt
Pepper powder 1/2 spoon
Cayanne chili 1/4 spoon
Dry parsley leaves 1 spoon
Dry garlic powder 1 spoon
Dry onion powder 1 spoon
Oil for frying.

Mehtod:

In a bowl bring salt, pepper, chili, parsley, garlic, onion and bread crumbs togather. Now spread them in a wide tray.

In a other tray bring egg whites.

Wash and clean okra, trim their ends alone. Pat dry them. Chop into bite size bits.

Now heat oil in a frying pan. Take few okras and roll them in egg whites first and then followed by bread crumbs. Once the veggie is evenly coated with bread....deep fry them in oil till crisp.

Serve warm as an appetizer.

Bhindi Chettinad:

Chettinad Bhindi. Vendaikkai Masala Kuzhambu.

Ingredients:

Whole Okras 15-25
Turmeric powder 1/2 spoon
Chili powder 1/2 spoon
Salt
Sesame Oil 1 cup.

To be dry roasted and powdered:

Poppy seeds 2-3 spoons
Cinnamon 2 sticks
Cloves 3
Coriander seeds 1 fistful
Fennel seeds 1-2 spoons
Black pepper 2-3 spoon
Cumin seeds 1 spoon
Dry red chilies 5
Fresh coconut grated 4 spoons

To be fried with little oil and wet ground into paste:

Onion 1 small chopped
Garlic 2-3 cloves-chopped
Ginger 2" size peeled and chopped
Tomato 1 small

For Garnishing:

Crisply fried curry leaves a bowl full.

Method:

Wash and pat dry okras. Trim their ends.

In a pan heat oil, Fry okras till it coats oil on all sides. Then add salt, turmeric + chili powders. Cover and cook for about 2 minutes.

Then add wet-ground paste to this. Fry real good, so that the paste gets well coated.

Now add powdered spices too, drizzle few spoons of oil over it. Fry them over high heat. Maybe till the raw smell of spices leaves.

Add 1-2 cups of water and bring to boiling stage. Wait till it thickens.

When okra is done, remove from heat.

Garnish with crisply fried curry leaves.

Serve hot as a side dish to Barotta, Chappathi, Roti, Nan, Iddiaapam, Aappam or Idly and Dosa.

Peanut Coated Okra:

Fried Whole Okras. Okra with peanuts. Fried Lady's Finger.

Ingredients:

Whole Okra - 10-15
Peanuts 1 cup
Dry red chilies 1 fistful
Salt
Turmeric powder pinch
Corn/all purpose flour few spoons
Egg whites 1-2
Oil for deep frying(peanut oil will be good)

Method:

Toast peanuts and dry red chilies each seperately. Then pound/grate them coarsely.

Now add salt and turmeric to the above mixture. Spread them in a wide tray.

Meanwhile wash and pat dry the okras. Retain its head and tail too.

Now dip them in egg whites first, then roll in the above mixture(in tray)until it coats the masala evenly. Repeat the same for all the okras.

Heat oil in a frying pan, deep fry okras till crispy and golden color.

Serve warm as an appetizer or evenning snack.

Okra Sambar:

Vendaikkai Sambar. Lady's Finger Sambar.Tamil Nadu Vegetable Sambar.

Ingredients:

Whole Okras 1/2 kilo - trim teh ends and chop roughly
Thoor Dal 1 cup
Onion 1 large
Tomato 1 large
Salt
Turmeric powder 1/4 spoon
Chili powder 1 spoon
Sambar Powder(home made) 1-2 spoons
Tamarind paste 1 spoon
Ghee or oil few spoons
Cilantro leaves to garnish.

For Tempering:

Mustard seeds 1/2 spoon
Cumin seeds 1/2 spoon
Asafoetida 1/4 spoon
Curry leaves few
Ghee/ Oil few spoons.

Method:

In a pressure cooker, add thoor dal + salt + few spoons of oil. Pressure cook till tender. Maybe for 3-6 whistles.

Now set this dal aside.

In a large crock pot, heat ghee. Add onions and fry till it is transluscent.

Then add toamtoes and fry till they turn pulpy. Add salt, turmeric and chili powder to this. Fry for 2 minutes.

Now stir-in chopped okras and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Maybe till the musilageneous nature leaves.

Add cooked thoor dal now. Cover and cook till the veggies are done.

When the veggies are done, add tamarind paste, samabar powder and cilantro leaves. Bring this to boil once. Then transfer the contents to display ware.

In a seperate pan, heat oil and fry the tempering items in it. Then run this seasonning over the sambar prepared.

Vendaikkai Kootu:

Okra Kootu. Lady's finger kootu.

Ingredients:

Okra 300 grams
Thoor/ Moong/ chana dal 1/4 cup
Green chilies 3 finely chopped
Onion 1 finely chopped
Garlic 6 cloves chopped
Ginger 2" peeled and chopped
Tomatoes 1-2 fienly chopped
Salt
Turmeric powder 1/4 spoon
Chili powder 1/2 spoon
Mustar seeds 1/4 spoon
Cumin seeds 1/2 spoon
Asafoetida 1/4 spoon
Curry leaves few
Oil few spoons
Cilantro leaves few to garnish.

Method:

Cook any one of the dal(thuvar/moong/chana dal) in a pressure cooker.

Maybe add salt and few spoons of oil in it. Cook till soft and set aside.

Trim th eends of okra and fienly chop them. Set aside.

In a large wok/handi, heat oil. Add chilies, let it crackle well.

Then add ginger and garlic, fry real good...till its raw odour leaves.

Add onions and salt. Fry till onions turn to golden color.

Now add tomatoes, cover and cook. Once tomatoes wilt, stir-in finely chopped vegetables.

Fry for few minutes, maybe till the vegetables coats oil. Add cooked dal(lentils).

Cover and cook over medium heat.

When the vegetable is done soft and much of the moisture is absorbed, remove from heat.

Heat oil, in a seperate pan...add mustards, cumin, asafoetida and curry leaves to it.

Allow it to crackle well. Now run this seasoning over the 'kootu' prepared above.

Garnish with finely chopped cilantro leaves.

Serve warm as a side dish for South Indian Meals or as a subzi for chappathi/roti.

Bhindi Masala Gravy:

Bhindi Masala Curry. Vendaikkai Mandi. Okra Masala.

Ingredients:

Okra whole 15(trim the ends)
Onion paste 1 table spoon
Ginger-garlic paste 1 spoon(freshly wet-ground)
Toamto puree 2 cups
Sugar 1 spoon(optional)
Salt
Turmeric 1/4 spoon
Chili powder 1 spoon
Coriander seeds powder 1 spoon(freshly ground)
Garam masalapowder 1/2 spoon(freshly ground)
Oil few spoons.

Method:

In a deep wok, heat oil. Stir-fry okra in it. Maybe till it coats oil well and looses its musilageneous nature.

Now add onion paste, followed by ginger-garlic paste. Fry till its raw odour is gone.

Now add toamto puree as well. Let it consolidate too.

Toss salt, turmeric, coriander seeds powder, chili and garam masala powders to it.

Fry till the raw odour leaves, gravy consolidates & oil shows up on top. One can add a spoon of sugar to bring the glossy color to it.

Serve warm with chappathis and rotis.

Achaari Bhindi:

Stir-Fried Okra pickles.

Ingredients:

Okra - sliced
Salt
Turmeric powder 1/4 spoon
Chili powder 1 spoon
Lemon juice few spoons
Sesame oil few spoons.

For Tempering:(optional)

Mustard/Sesame oil few spoons
Mustard seeds 1/4 spoon
Asafoetida 1 pinch
Dry red chilies 3
Curry leaves few

Achaari Powder:

To Be Toasted Each Seperately and Powdered Togather:

Mustard Seeds 1 spoon
Fenugreek Seeds 1 spoon
Coriander Seeds 1 spoon
Fennel Seeds 1/4 spoon(optional)
Cumin Seeds 1/4 spoon(optional)
Asafoetida 1/4 spoon.

Method:

In a wide pan, heat oil. Add sliced okras, salt, turmeric and chili powder. stir-fry till it turns crispy.

When the vegetable is 3/4 th done....add the achari powder. Now fry over high heat.

In a seperate sauce pan, heat oil. add tempering items. Now run this sesaonning over the above 'poriyal' made.

Fianlly squeeze lemon juice on top. Serve warm as a side dish for south/north Indian meals.

Dahi Bhindi:

Whole Okra in Yogurd Sauce.

Ingredients:

Whole Okra 15(trim their ends)
Cashew nuts 10 - paste
Coconut grated 1 cup - paste
Yogurds 1-2 cups
Ginger 2" peeled and made into paste
Papper - wet-ground to paste
Salt
Turmeric powder 1-2 pinch
Chili powder 1/2 spoon
Besan powder(bengal gram powder) 2-4 spoons
Oil few spoons.

For Sesonning:

Mustards seeds 1/4 spoon
Cumin seeds 1/4 spoon
Asafoetida 1/4 spoon
Curry leaves few
Dry red chilies 3
Oil few spoons.

Method:

Heat oil in a wide pan, stir- fry okra in it, till it turns golden color. Add salt, turmeric, chili powder and besan powder to it. Stir-fry without any musilageneous texture.

To this add pepper paste and ginger paste. Fry for another 2 minutes or maybe till its fragrant.

Add yogurts, cashew and coconut paste too. Bring this to boil.

Remove from stove and transfer to display vessel.

In a seperate pan, heat oil. add the sesonning items and wait till it pops and splutters. Now run this sesonning over the gravy prepared.

Serve with warm steamed rice or chappathi.

Bhindi Masala:

Dry Bhindi Masala. Vendaikkai Mandi. Okra Masala.

Ingredients:

Okra whole 15(trim the ends)
Onion paste 1 tale spoon
Ginger-garlic paste 1 spoon(freshly wet-ground)
Toamto puree 2-4 spoons(optional)
Sugar 1 spoon(optional)
Salt
Turmeric 1/4 spoon
Chili powder 1 spoon
Coriander seeds powder 1 spoon(freshly ground)
Garam masalapowder 1/2 spoon(freshly ground)
Oil few spoons.

Method:

In a deep wok, heat oil. Stir-fry okra in it. Maybe till it coats oil well and looses its musilageneous nature.

Now add onion paste, followed by ginger-garlic paste. Fry till its raw odour is gone.

Now add toamto puree as well. Let it consolidate too.

Toss salt, turmeric, coriander seeds powder, chili and garam masala powders to it.

Fry till the raw odour leaves and oil shows up on top. One can add a spoon of sugar to bring the glossy color to it.

Whole Okra Deep Fried Pickle:

Ingredients:

Whole okra/ lady's finger 12-20
Oil for deep frying.

Sesonning Powder:

Salt
Turmeric powder
Chili powder
Coriander powder
Sugar
Amchoor powder
Dash of Asafoetida
Fenugreek seeds powder
Mustard seeds powder.

Method:

Wash and pat dry the okra. Retain its head and tail.

Well, deep fry them in oil till crispy and dark. Leave them over kitchen tissues for a while.

Now toss all the sesaonning powders on the top. Serve warma s a side dish or appetizer.

Bhindi Achaari Curry:

Okra in Pickle Style Gravy. Vendaikkai Oorugai Kuzhambu. Lady's Finger in Rich mustard curry.

Ingredients:

Whole Okra/Lady's Finger - 12 numbers
Green chilies 3 slitted
Garlic 6 cloves - paste
Onion 1 small - made into paste
Tomato puree 1 cup
Tamarind paste 1/4 spoon
Salt
Turmeric powder 1/4 spoon
Chili powder 1 spoon
Oil for deep frying or pan-frying
Mustard Oil few spoons.

To be Toasted each Seperately and Powdered Togather:

Fennel seeds 1 spoon
Cumin seeds 1 spoon
Onion seeds (nigella/kalonji) 1/2 spoon
Kastoori Methi dry 1/2 spoon(dry fenugreek leaves)
Mustard seeds 1 spoon
Fenugreek seeds 1 spoon
Asafoetida 1/4 spoon
Dry red chilies 3-6.

For Tempering:

Mustard seeds 1/2 spoon
Asafoetida 1/4 spoon
Curry leaves few
Mustard oil few spooons.

Method:

Wash and pat dry the okras. Trim their ends off.

Heat oil for pan-frying/deep frying. Fry okras crisply without any stickness. Leave them over kitchen tissues.

In a seperate pan, heat mustard oil. Add chilies and wait till it crackles.

Then add garlic + onion paste. Add salt too. Fry real good.

When the raw odour leaves, add toamto puree and continue frying.

When oil shows up on sides, add turmeric, chili powder and tamarind paste.

Add 2 cups of water, cover and cook. When the gravy thickens, add the fried okras + powdered spices. Continue to cook over medium heat withour lid.

When it turns aromatic, oil shows up on top. Remove from heat. Transfer to dispaly vessel.

In a seperate pan, heat oil and fry the seasonnig items. Then run this seasonning over the gravy prepared.

Serve warm as a side dish for Indian bread(chappathi, naan) or with plain rice.

Vendaikkai Mor Kuzhambu:

Ingredients:

Okra/Lady's finger 250 grams (fresh / frozen)
Yogurts 4 cups
Salt
Turmeric powder 1/4 spoon
Asafoetida 1/4 spoon
Oil few spoons.

Wet Grind these to a Thick Paste:

Pepper 1-2 spoons
Green chilies 5
Thoor dal 1 cup
Tomato 1
Ginger 3-4 inch size. peeled.
Garlic 4 -5 cloves

For Tempering:

Mustard seeds 1/2 spoon
Cumin seeds 1/4 spoon
Urad dal 1/4 spoon
Asafoetida 1/4 spoon
Dry red chilies 3
Curry leaves few
Oil few spoons
Oil for shallow frying.

Method:

Wash and clean okras. Pat dry them. Trim their ends off. Chop them into bite-size pieces.

Heat oil, in a shallow pan. Fry few okras till crisp and dark. They should not be mushy or sticky anymore. Leave over kitchen tissues for a while. Repeat the same for remaining okras too.

Heat a deep heavy bottomed vssel. Add oil and these wet ground paste to it. Fry them till they loose their raw smell.

3.Further add asafoetida, salt, turmeric and yogurts. Mix them well. Let them come to 1-2 boil.

Now stir-in fried okras and bring it to boil as well.

In a separate pan, heat oil. Add mustard, cumin, asafoetida, red chilies, pepper and curry leaves. Fry for a while...till they pop and splutter. Now run this seasoning over the gravy made above.

Serve warm along with plain steam cooked rice.

Vendaikkai Thayir Pachadi:

Fried Okra in Yogurts. Fried Lady's Finger Raita. Bindi Pachadi. Bendakai Perugu Pachadi.

Ingredients:

Okra/lady's finger - 200 grams
Yogurts 2-3 cups
Oil for deep frying.

To Wet-Grind These:

Fresh grated coconut 1/2 cup
Green chilies 2
Salt
Yogurts 1/4 cup.

For Tempering:

Oil few spoons
Mustard seeds 1/2 spoon
Cumin seeds 1/4 spoon
Asafoetida 1/4 spoon
Urad dal 1/2 spoon
Curry leaves few.

Method:

Wash and pat dry okra. Trim their ends. Then finely chop them. Set aside.

Heat oil in a deep frying pan. When the oil is smoky hot....fry few chopped okras in it. Maintaint he stove over medium-high heat. Fry them real crisp.

Fry little in each batch. Maybe till they turnt o dark brown and crispy enough.

Leave these fried okras over kitchen tissue for some time.

Now wet grind coconut, green chili with salt and 1/4 cup of curd.

Mix fried okra and wet-ground above paste in yogurd. Mix them well.

In a shallow frying pan...heat oil and add sesonning items and fry them.

Then run this above sesonning over mixed okra-yogurd set-up.

Serve chillied or at room temeprature as a side dish.

Than usual fried okra or regular pachadis....this is differnet! I prefer to have this chilled. Its very refreshing treat. Though its fried it wont give the appearance or feel heavy here! Give a try sometime!