Bendakaya Vepudu ~ Crispy Okra Fry

After coming to USA i miss the very tender Lady Fingers (Okra) that we used to get in India. For people who does not how the name come for Okra as Lady Fingers, here is the story. Okra in India are very long, slim and tender which resembles the 'lady fingers' and that's how the name come. Here (USA),  the Okra we get are opposite to what we get in India, thick, short and sticky. I am always reluctant to make a fry out of it because of it's sticky nature. Despite of all the tricks i did like pat them dry before cut, dry them in open air after cut, microwave for few min, noting helped me to get the dry okra fry that my mom used to make in India.

Crispy Okra Fry

So finally today I have tried this new technique, and it did the magic and more over it uses very less oil and turned out to be very healthy way. Here I am sharing with you, try it and let the magic happen in your kitchen as well :-)

Ingredients:
 for Baking:
Olive Oil -  1 Tbsp
salt -  1 tsp
red chili powder  1/2 tsp
minced garlic - 1 tsp


for Stove Top:
Vegetable Oil - 1 tbsp
Garlic - 4 cloves
curry leaf - 8 to 10
cilantro - 1/4 cup
onion - 1/2 medium
green chili - 4 or 5
salt - 1 tsp
turmeric - 1/2 tsp
coriander powder - 1/4 tsp
Okra - 1 lb

How to Make It:

1. cut the okra (horizontally) into small rounds. in a small bowl mix olive oil, salt and chili powder along with minced garlic and mix this oil mixture into okra rounds gently until okra gets well coated. Close the lid and leave it for 5 to 10 min, so that garlic infuses. Arrange this okra on the baking sheet and bake it at 350 F for 20 min. ( until the raw smell and stickiness goes away).
2. Take a Kadai and put it on the stove and heat the oil. Once the oil is hot prepare the India Seasoning ( తాలింపు / పోపు / तड़का ) by adding red chili, chana dal, urad dal, cumin seeds and mustard seeds.
3. Then add Curry leaves, Garlic Cloves, chopped green chilies and chopped onion. Add turmeric and close the lid and let the onions cook for a while. Then add salt to the onions.
4. After 5 min, add the baked Okra mixture to the Kadai, once every thing is cooked and okra gets wilted fully, add the coriander powder and cook for 5 min.
5. Finally garnish with chopped cilantro.

Yum! Yum! Yum! Crispy Okra Fry is ready. Serve hot over white rice. These days, this has become my kids favorite too. Not sure if it's a myth or not, there is a saying that Okra improves the brain for Math. (Don't ask me why only specific to 'Math'? Consider Math begin tough to kids, this might be the trick invented by one smart mom in old days to make the kids eat this Okra. :-) or this might be genuine brain food, which is possible.)

Why wait now, turn your kids 'Ooo, Yucky Sticky' moments to ' Yummy, Crispy Okra'.

I am sending this recipe to
MizHelen's Full Plate Thursday

take care until next time
-Mythreyi

Landed in Mother Land

Dear Readers,

There is a good valid reason for my absense in the blog world from the past one month. I have been crazily busy with shopping and packing to set our new nest in the mother land. It has been a rough roller coaster ride with up & downs, high and lows and with lot of emotions to leave friends and with excitement to meet parents and to witness the beautiful weather, localisum, priceless cute small things that instantly makes our souls happy and to experience terrible traffic, too much crowds, busy life style. Either it's going to be rocky or rosy, it's our country and we are looking forward for the wonderful stay.

On the other side it's an opportunity for me to explore more local foods, street foods, south indian delicasies, witness all soughts of restuarants. Don't envy me.... I promise to bring all my food experiences to you with out any miss so that you  don't miss any. so keep following and checking for more updates.

take care until next time
-Mythreyi