Vendakai paal curry


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Preparation Time : 15 minutes

Cooking Time : 20-25 minutes

Serving : 3-4 members

Description

Vendakai paal Kari . A side dish very own to my hubby’s place which is simple , yet an inventive approach to cooking with focus on using local ingredients .  Usually this side dish is served in most Muslim house holds through out the Nellai district with each house having their own twist and version to it . The basic of this dish is same by adding thin and thick extracts of the coconut  but the other ingredients may vary and most households garnish with maasi ( Maldives dried fish powder ) here at hubby’s place they don’t add maasi . This dish is one among my favourite side dishes . Once my grand ma balkees perima ( dads mom ) had come to my hubby’s place to visit me on a two days trip . My grand mom being a fussy person about food and every thing around , I had to take extra care to satisfy her needs . She loves fish and fish is one among the best local produce that Nellai is best known for . Made fish curry with other side dishes for lunch , one being vendakai paal Kari . My fussy grand mom liked the vendakai paal Kari so much that she just could not stop raving about it in a hilarious way though !!!Well,  who would have expected this simple lesser known but much more flavourful and interesting side  dish would impress her taste buds to this extent . Till date this dish fills my mind with soaked wealthy emotions of memories about my grand mom balkees perima . Miss her tons and loads as she is no more :-((

 Ingredients

Ingredients
Quantity
Tender small ladies finger 1/4 kg cut into finger size
First coconut milk thick extract1 /2 cup
Second coconut milk thin extract 1/2 cup
Small onionsone hand full chopped
Tomato 1 big chopped
Green chillies 2 slit
Coconut oil1 tablespoon
Cumin seeds1/2 teaspoon
Curry leaves few
Chilli powder1/4 teaspoon
Turmeric powdera pinch
Saltto taste

Method

  1. Heat coconut oil in a non – stick pan . Add cumin seeds and curry leaves . Once they crackle add small onions , green chillies and ladies finger .
  2. Saute until the ladies finger changes colour and gets dry without being sticky .
  3. Add the tomato and saute until it lets out all its juices and gets to a mushy pulp .
  4. Add salt , chilli powder and turmeric powder . Mix well adding thin second extract of the coconut .
  5. Cover and cook the ladies finger . Once cooked and the thin extract has evaporated , add the thick first extract of the coconut .
  6. Simmer and let the coconut milk infuse into the ladies finger for a few minutes and when oil separates , remove from heat and serve hot as a side dish with white rice or chapatis .

Notes

  1. Wash the ladies finger whole . Pat dry with a napkin .
  2. Then cut and use . In case the ladies finger are wet , it tends to get sticky and mushy .
  3. You can do the same with French beans , drum sticks and potato fingers . ( use fennel seeds instead of cumin seeds with drum stick and potatoes .)