TH and I are both Okra (vendakka in tamil and malayalam) haters. Well, maybe hate is too strong a word, but definitely its a strong dislike. But being my mother's daughter, ignoring any vegetable is not my thing, so I still continue to buy it and make things that take out the slimy feel from it, cuz that's what we both hate. My mom frequently makes Kerala Aviyal Recipe, with all possible vegetables and a generous amount of coconut. So I wasn't too familiar with this particular version of aviyal until I asked her for recipes with Okra (that takes out the sliminess!).
The only considerable difference in Vendakka Aviyal is the addition of tamarind. It gives it a nice tangy flavour and disguises the undesirable parts of the vegetable beautifully.
Vendakka Avial Recipe
Serves 2
Ingredients:
Okra / Vendakka / Ladies finger : 10 nos.
Grated coconut : ½ cup
Shallots : 5-6
Tamarind paste : 2 tbsp
Powdered Jeera/Cumin : 1 tsp
Chilli powder : 1 tsp
Curry leaves, mustard : for tempering
Coconut oil : 2 tbsp
Salt : to taste
How I Made It:
1. Chop the okra in 1" pieces and cook in some salted water till soft.
2. Coarsely grind the coconut, shallots, jeera and chilli with very little water.
3. Heat coconut oil in a kadai and temper with mustard seeds and curry leaves. Add the ground paste and fry for 10 seconds. Then add the okra pieces and the tamarind paste. Keep covered and cook for 2 mins till the curry has mixed well.
4. Adjust salt and remove from fire.
Serve hot with rice.
Sukanya Ramkumar
WOW... This sounds so tasty. Looks great also. YUM!
Swati Raman Garg
TH 🙂 iam a die hard okra lover... and this avial sure soungs good with that tamarind flavor...
Sireesha
Hi nags ,visiting ur blog for the first time.U have nice and lovely blog.
My Mother makes this quite often and I love it very much.....looks very good Nags.
Cooking Station
a new recipe for me will surely try coz we love okra. Glad to stumble upon another Singapore blogger.
Siri
I am a duteous Okra lover Nags (unlike u and ur 'TH'). Avial looks yummy.. addition of Tamarind is new to me!
will try it out!
Hugs,
Siri
notyet100
hi hve come to invite u to my blog tocollect ur award,..
Laavanya
My MIL makes this quite often and I love it... looks very good Nags.
skribles
Innovative recipe! Okra avial with tamarind 🙂 ... the combi of these 3 are new to me.
I love okra as well as avial, so this is a must try for me. Thanks for sharing.
Vanamala
Lovely dish..
Mansi Desai
that sounds great Nags! after making my coconut-peanut bhindi masala, I've become a huge okra fan too!:)
btw, you can send this to Suganya for AFAM-Coconut also!:)