Bendekayi -Amtekai Palya | Okra cooked with Indian Hogplum

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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.

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Bhindi Achari - Okra fry with pickling spices

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My mouth starts watering when I hear pickles :-) I remember the spicy, tangy and a little bitter or astringent taste of whole mango pickles that my mother makes at home. Spices used to make pickle have unique flavors.

There are many Achari dishes prepared with pickling spices using many different vegetables like brinjal, potato, okra or even chicken.

Bhindi Achari is a tangy and delicious -recipe made with fried okra and pickling spices. It's a quick recipe that can be made within 30 minutes. Goes extremely well with Indian flat breads.

Ingredients: 

Lady finger/ okra : 200 gms

Sliced Ginger: 1 inch

Sliced Garlic : 3-4 cloves

Mustard seeds : 1 tsp

Cumin seeds : 1 tsp

Nigella/kollonji seeds: 1/2 tsp

Fenugreek seeds: 1/4 tsp

Fennel seeds: 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves: 1 sprig

Turmeric powder: 1/4 tsp

Red chilli powder: 1/2 tsp

Coriander powder: 1 tsp

Cumin powder: 1/2 tsp

Garam masala: 1/4 tsp

Dry mango powder: 1 tsp

Sugar:1/2 tsp

Salt to taste

Oil: 2 + 1 tbsp

Method:

1. Wash and dry okra and cut them into diagonal slices.

2. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a wok and shallow fry okra until the edges change color and the sliminess of okra is reduced. Takes about 6-7 minutes on high flame. Remove on paper towel and keep it aside.

3. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan add mustard seeds, when it splutters add cumin, fennel, fenugreek and nigella seeds and fry for 30 seconds. 

4. Mix in curry leaves, sliced garlic and ginger and fry for a minute. 

5. Next add in spice powders- red chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and give a quick stir. Make sure not to burn the spices.

6. Add in fried okras and mix well.

7. Add salt, sugar, garam masala powder and dry mango powder and combine everything well.

8. Cover and cook for 3-5 minutes and turn off the stove.

9. Serve hot with any Indian flat bread of your choice.

Notes:

1. You can add lemon juice instead of dry mango powder.

2. Keep the flame high while trying the okras that help to reduce the sliminess quickly.

3. Sauté the spice powders on low flame so that the spices don't burn. It will leave a bitter taste if over cooked or burnt.

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Bendekayi palya / masala bhindi /lady's finger

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Bendekayi or lady's finger aka okra is one of my favorite vegetables. Some people do not like this vegetable because of the sliminess. Deep frying or shallow frying the okra on high flame reduces sliminess. 

Ingredients:

Lady's fingers/okra : 500 gms

Onion: 2 medium

Tomato: 1 big

Ginger: 1 inch

Garlic: 5-6 cloves

Green chillies: 5-6

Cumin seeds:1 tsp

Coriander powder: 1 tsp

Cumin powder: 1/2 tsp

Garam masala: 1/4 tsp

Turmeric powder: 1/4 tsp

Dry mango powder: 1/2 tsp

Oil: 2 tbsp +1 tbsp for shallow frying okra.

Salt to taste

Method:

1. Wash and clean the okra and dry them completely, Cut them into small pieces.

2. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok and shallow fry the okra on high flame until the sliminess is gone. Takes about 8-10 minutes. Remove and keep it aside.

3. Chop garlic, ginger and green chillies finely and chop onion roughly.

4. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan and add cumin seeds and fry for 30 seconds.

5. Add garlic and green chillies and sauté for a while then add ginger and onion and sauté until the onions turn translucent.

6. Add chopped tomatoes, turmeric and salt and mix well and let it cook until the tomatoes are soft.

7. Next add cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder and sauté until all the masalas are blended.

8. Add fried okra and mix well. 

9. Add dry mango powder and sauté  on high flame for another 2-3 minutes and turn off.

10. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with roti/chapathi or any bread of your choice.

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