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 : 1/2 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.
I'm a huge okra fan, so this recipe looks fantastic to me. I usually find that using frozen okra reduces the sliminess of the vegetable.
TH 🙂 iam a die hard okra lover… and this avial sure soungs good with that tamarind flavor…
That'so sweet, thanks Keerthi 🙂
Hey "nags"
Dunno even your name but you've been a total saviour of mine…started out with your hyderabadi bagara baigan n tonight gonna try this one…between there've been so many more and thats left me and dad with a full tummy every dinner…hopfefully he wont miss mom's cooking till she comes back!! Thanks soo much!! 🙂 🙂
Is the coconut used fresh or dried?
I used fresh and that tastes best, but anything goes 🙂
shreya!! its so nice that you still visit my blog 🙂 thanks for the tips and vendakka rasam sounds great but i am sure TH won’t touch it 😀
Hi Nags, I love this dish, and I make this quite often.If you want more vendakka recipes (one being vendakka rasam)- let me know,I can give atleast 3 more that will take out the sliminess (if that’s the word)! It’s my daughter’s fav and my hubby’s and mine too:-) We make it atleast 2ce a wk, and so a kilo a week of it is inevitable!Also, the mango curry – is something I make whenever i get raw mangoes, as i love the tangy taste-try adding the raw mango chutney recipe too.If mangoes are too sour, you can try adding a tsp or two of melted jaggery. It’s really yum!waiting for next post- love,shreya.
I love okara, but here it little bit expensive. nice recipe with okra.
I have never tried making aviyal with okra should try it sometime
First time I have heard of this dish and it looks very yummy! 🙂
By the way, you can change it to DH (dear husband) when he’s in your good books! 🙂
Hi,nice blog…
I want exchange link with your blog, my blog is about soup recipe. Please leave me a message if you wanna exchange link with me. Thank you.
Beautiful dish girl, I love Okra but hard to get it here other than frozen ones. Great recipe Nags, glad to see you posting!:)
WOW… This sounds so tasty. Looks great also. YUM!
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.
TH 🙂 iam a die hard okra lover… and this avial sure soungs good with that tamarind flavor…
a new recipe for me will surely try coz we love okra. Glad to stumble upon another Singapore blogger.
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
hi hve come to invite u to my blog tocollect ur award,..
My MIL makes this quite often and I love it… looks very good Nags.
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.
Lovely dish..
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!:)
Hi Nags, how are you? I’ve never come across this dish, nor any other which requires this vegetable to be boiled. I always thought ladies finger + water = slime. 🙂
Well nags i am not wild about okra, mostly it is in sambat we used at home or the other dish i have no idea wht it is called, it is a dry dish.
Thats a new recipe for me:) Vendakka in avial! Wow nice combo Nags:) Must try one:) Next time I think of making avial I am gonna make this:)
What a coincidence Nags, I just posted about my love for Okra! Never came across this type of preparation, but will surely try this sometime.
i love, love and simply love okara. so this innovative recipe is a must try. coconut, okra and tamarind-i can already taste it 🙂
I’m a huge okra fan, so this recipe looks fantastic to me. I usually find that using frozen okra reduces the sliminess of the vegetable.
I’m one as well who isn’t fond of the sliminess…I like it stir fried….
Oohhhhhhh is this the first “TH” mention? 😀 I’m sure there are many more coming…
Vendakka aviyal, huh? Never heard of it!! I love vendakka including some of the slimy preparations… This looks good. Thanks for the entry N…
I’ll take your word for it that this works for okra.:) Looks good though.
I like okra as long as it is stirfried and dry, otherwise I give it a miss!
Sig – Yes, I think this is the first official TH mention 😀
I think okra is like the fruit durian that’s available in plenty here in Singapore. You either hate it or you love it.