Vendakka Pachadi / Okra (Ladies finger) Pachadi

        There are certain vegetarian delicacies which outplays non-vegetarian dishes with their unique flavour and ambiance. Hence they come handy whenever you run out of chicken and fish. There are times when you forget about the bowl of fried fish sitting infront of you and go on eating those vegetarian dishes; totally hooked. There are many Kerala Sadhya preparations made with vegetables and yogurt which are deliciously flavoursome that you hardly notice, you are eating veg. which is otherwise considered to be bland.( Vegetarians, don't take offense! I was only quoting the general assumptions of a non-vegetarian :))

            Pachadi is a dish prepared with vegetables or fruits tempered with yogurt and spices and is an inevitable dish in the Kerala Sadhya. Wide varieties of vegetables like squash, okra, bitter guard and brinjal and fruits like pineapple too are used in pachadi preparations. This is a very easy, quick and delicious pachadi which my mom in law used to make, which I was totally fond of. So when I took over cooking in 'my kitchen empire', I started preparing it whenever I got a handful of fresh okras every now and then, which my son and better half loves to the last bit.



Vendakkaa Pachadi

Okra/ ladies finger  -  1/2 kg

Fresh yogurt           -  1 cup

Turmeric powder    - 1/4 tsp

Red chilli powder    -  1/2 tsp

Vegetable oil           -  2 tbsp

Salt to taste

Coconut oil             - 1 tsp

mustard seeds         - 1/4 tsp

Dried red chilli         - 2

A sprig of curry leaves

Method:

     Wash, drain and cut the okras into thin slices. Mix the spice powders and salt with it and keep aside. Heat a non-stick frying pan and shallow fry the sliced okras in vegetable oil. Transfer it to a bowl and add yogurt. Mix it well.

      In the same frying pan, add coconut oil and splutter mustard seeds in it. Add the dry red chilli and curry leaves and saute for a few seconds. Pour this seasoning over the okra-yogurt mixture and stir to combine. Serve immediately with steaming rice and curry.