This curry is for the love of tamarind. Every Tamilian house would have a version of this curry. Its really hard to qualify a recipe as authentic. To me, if the recipe was passed on from a grand mother, its as authentic as it can get. This curry paired with rice makes a very satisfying meal. This is a lunch time curry. They make this at home usually for lunch as it goes well with rice. First the vendakkai/okra is fried in oil and salt. The little addition of salt crisps the skin and cooks faster.
Now lets rock the kitchen by making the masala for the curry. I use the same pan that I used for frying vendakkai/okra. We do not want to waste the super flavor packed brown bits that is stuck to the bottom of the pan. Heat oil in the same pan and add cumin seeds, curry leaves and garlic. Then add the onions. Saute briefly for a couple of minutes until the onions are soft. Then add the tomatoes and the shredded coconut. Saute for another couple of minutes. Remove the pan off heat and grind the mixture to a smooth paste.
Heat oil in a seperate kadai/pan and add in the fenugreek seeds, urad dal, mustard, dried red chilles and curry leaves. Add in the ground masala, tamarind juice, coriander powder, turmeric, chilli powder, sambar powder, salt and a little bit of jaggery all at once. Add a cup or more of water.
Close the pan with a lid and let it simmer for 30-40 minutes on low flame. Add in the cooked vendakkai/okra and let it simmer for another 5 more minutes. The oil should float on top of the curry. That is the true indication that the curry is done.
Remove the pan off heat and serve hot with rice.
- 250 grams okra/vendakkai
- 1 tablespoon peanut oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 5 cloves garlic
- 2 onions, chopped
- 2 tomatoes, chopped
- 4 tablespoon shredded coconut
- 2 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon urad dal
- 1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
- 2 dried red chillies
- 2 sprigs curry leaves
- lime size tamarind soaked in 2 cups of water
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon chilli powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon sambar powder
- 1 teaspoon jaggery
- 1 teaspoon salt
- For frying the vegetable: Heat a pan and add oil and the vendakkai/okra. Add in the salt. Fry on a low flame for 6-8 minutes until its not sticky. Remove off heat and set aside.
- For the Masala: In the same pan add more oil,cumin seeds,curry leaves and garlic. Then add the onions. Saute briefly for a couple of minutes until the onions are soft.
- Then add the tomatoes and the shredded coconut. Saute for another couple of minutes. Remove the pan off heat and grind the mixture to a very smooth paste.
- Heat oil in a seperate kadai/pan and add in the fenugreek seeds, urad dal, mustard, dried red chillies and curry leaves. Let the mustard seeds splutter. Then add in the ground masala, tamarind juice, coriander powder, turmeric, chilli powder, sambar powder, salt, jaggery all at once. Add a cup or more of water.
- Close the pan with a lid and let it simmer for 30-40 minutes on low flame. Add in the cooked vendakkai/okra and let it simmer for another 5 more minutes. The oil should float on top of the curry. That is the true indication that the curry is done.
- Remove the pan off heat and serve hot with rice.
- This curry will stay good for upto 2 days.