Sunday, September 26, 2021

BENDEKAYI PALYA

 BENDEKAYI PALYA

Lady's Fingers (as okra is commonly called in India) is a vegetable with many health benefits. In Hindi, lady's fingers are called Bhindi. They are called Bendekaya in Telugu, Bendekayi in Kannada and Bhenda in my mother tongue, Konkani. 

 Elsewhere in this blog you will find recipes for other dishes using lady's fingers such as:-

Today's recipe is for a side dish made with lady's finger from the Malnad region of my Home State of Karnataka. I have adapted this from Bendekai Palya from the popular website Veg Recipes of Karnataka. 

We enjoyed this with both rice and chapatis.


Ingredients:-

  • Bendekayi (Lady's Fingers), 250 grams
  • Urad Dal (Black Gram Dal),  1 tsp
  • Channa Dal,( Bengal Gram),  1 tsp
  • Mustard Seeds, 1/2 tsp
  • Turmeric Powder, 1/4 tsp
  • Hing Powder, ( Asafoetida), 1/4 tsp
  • Curry Leaves, a sprig
  • Tamarind, size of a gooseberry
  • Jaggery, grated, 1-2 tsp 
  • Salt, to taste
  • Oil, 1 and 1/2 tbsp
To Be Ground To A Coarse Paste:-
  • Coconut Gratings, 1/4 cup
  • Byadgi Red Chillies, 2
  • Mustard Seeds, 1/4 tsp 


Method:-

Wash the lady's fingers, pat them dry and snip off the two ends and cut them into roundels

Soak the tamarind in 1/4 cup of water for about 10 minutes and extract the juice. Keep aside. 

In a small mixer jar, dry grind coconut gratings, Byadgi Red Chillies and 1/4 tsp mustard seeds to a coarse paste ( without adding any water). Keep aside

In a thick-bottomed kadhai, heat 1 and 1/2 tbsp of oil and on medium heat add the mustard seeds

When they splutter add the urad dal and channa dal and fry till the dals change colour

To this add turmeric powder, asafoetida powder, and curry leaves and sauté for a few seconds

Next add the lady's fingers roundels and sauté on high heat for about 2 minutes

To this add salt, tamarind extract and jaggery and mix well

Cover and cook on medium heat till the lady's fingers get done, stirring from time to time.

Please take care not to overcook the lady's fingers as they get cooked very fast

Next add the freshly ground coarse masala and mix well 

Cook for a couple of minutes till the raw smell goes

Switch off the gas and transfer the Bendekayi Palya to a serving bowl

Serve Bendekayi Palya as a side dish to the main meal  



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