I am missing all the pampering and nice dishes that my mom served when I was home last month. Coastal style traditional vegetarian dishes were my favorite in childhood. Bendekayi Amatekai palya i.e., Okra cooked with hogplum was one of those dishes I liked. The hogplaums are crushed in a stone pestle and added to Okra masala. The most cherished part was the crushed hogplum that was cooked in all the masalas and Okra. That was oh so delicious! Here is my mother's recipe. It's a very traditional no fancy recipe. I also didn't get much time to click better pictures. Since one of my friends asked me for the recipe I am sharing with not so great looking pictures. But who cares when taste is the king 😊
Ingredients:
Bendekayi /Okra : 500 gms
Onion: 2 medium
Garlic: 3-4 cloves
Amatekai/Indian Hogplum: 4-5
Coconut Oil: 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp
Curry Leaves: 1 sprig.
Jaggery: 1/2 tsp
Red Chilli powder: 1 tsp
Grated Coconut: 3-4 tbsp
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves: for Garnish
Method:
1. Wash and dry okra completely, chop into 1 inch pieces and keep aside. Wash the hogplums and crush them in a mortar pestle and keep aside until needed.
2. Heat oil in a deep wok and add mustard seeds, when it splutters add curry leaves and crushed garlic and saute for a min
3. Add finely chopped onion and saute until golden in color.
4. Add okra and fry for 2 mins, add the crushed hogplums and saute for 5-6 minutes.
5. Add salt, jaggery, chilli powder and grated coconut and mix well and cook until the okra is done.
6. Garnish with Coriander leaves and serve as a side dish with rice and rasam/sambar:)
Notes:
1. I usually make it with kundapur masala powder instead of plain red chilli powder and skip garlic in the tempering. If you have the powder handy you could use the same, it brings out the authentic coastal taste. Click here for : Kundapur Masala powder recipe.
2. These hogplums are too sour in taste and adding jaggery will cut the sourness. Adjust the amount jaggery according to your taste.
