Vendakka Pachadi/Okra Pachadi

Okra/Vendakka shallow fried and added to a thick mixture of yogurt-coconut gravy. Such a soothing curry or side dish that can be served with steamed rice/Biriyanis/any flavorful rice. Have it once and I'm sure your taste buds will never forget the taste of this pachadi.

Most of you might be familiar with Vendakka Pachadi but I never knew Okra can be used for making pachadi until Onam '11. I got to taste this curry for the first time for an 'Ona Sadya' organised by  the Kerala Cultural Society for the Association Onam Festivals and Cultural programs. I was then having it very slowly relishing the bites of fried okra and not so sour yogurt coconut gravy. But I was a bit confused about whether the pachadi has coconut-yogurt mixture or just the yogurt. Ina couple of days when I planned to make it at home I sent a message through fb to my big bro and as usual he called me immediately and cleared all my doubts.(As for readers my brother is a professional chef who had worked in different parts of the world. I admire the way he does things passionately and does wonders with anything available in the kitchens and that too by the time we think of making something, he would have just made it and walked out )
So here I'm sharing with all of you this yummy Okra/Vendakka Pachadi. Enjoy!!!

       

Ingredients:-

1. Okra/Vendakka/Lady's Finger - 12 med sized
2. Thick Yogurt/Curd - 3/4 cup
3. Grated Coconut - 3/4 cup
4. Cumin seeds/Jeera - 1 tsp
5. Green chilly - 4
6. Curry leaves a sprig
7. Coconut oil - 2 tsp(u can use oil of your choice)
8. Mustard seeds -1tsp
9. Urad dal - 1 tsp(optional, I luv to add them in pachadi)
10. Whole red chillies(I did not use it since I ran out of it) - 2
11. Salt to taste

Preparation Method:-

• Wash and pat dry the okra. Cut them into thin slices and set aside.
• Grind together coconut, cumin, green chillies, and few curry leaves. 
• Move the ground paste to a medium size bowl, add the yogurt and salt. Mix well with a spoon, add some water if needed to get to a thick but pouring consistency. Set aside
• Heat up a wok/Kadai/Pan in medium heat, add oil, mustard seeds and stir for few seconds.
• When mustard starts to crackle add urad dal, curry leaves and whole red chillies and stir for a minute.
• Add the okra and salt. Stir fry till okra become golden brown. Be careful not to get them to dark brown and burn, you will have to keep stirring it till they turn there color from light green to golden color .
• Take it off the flame and add it to the coconut-yogurt mix. Stir well and check for the salt and taste. Add more salt if desired.                     
• Serve with steamed rice or any rice of your choice

                                           

Note:- As per the original recipe okra is deep fried and pachadi taste better that way may be, I was just being health cautious and shallow fried them.