kadalai mandi/vendakkai mandi(okra in chettinad style)

kadalai mandi/vendakkai mandi

Ingredients:

okra/vendakkai            -250 g
chickpeas/kondakadalai-1/2 cup
shallots                        -8-10
garlic cloves                 -7
whole red chillies          -12
green chili                    -2
tomato                          -1
curry leaves                   -few
turmeric                        -little
hing                              -pinch
rice flour                       -1 tbsp
tamarind                       - lemon size ball
mustard seeds                -1/4 tsp
urad dhal/split black gram-1/2 tsp
salt                                -to taste
sesame oil                      -21/2 tbsp

Method:

• Soak lemon sized tamarind pulp in a cup of warm water.squeeze and take the tamarind juice out of it.
• Soak chickpeas overnight. pressure cook it for whistle adding adequate water.once pressure goes off drain the water and keep the cooked chickpea aside.
• In a pan heat oil and fry the chopped okra/vendaikkai for few minutes until 60% done .remove and keep it aside.

• In the same pan heat little more oil ans allow mustard seeds to splutter.temper with urad dhal ,red chilies ,hing and curry leaves.

• Add chopped shallots,garlic and turmeric and fry until onion turns transparent.

• Now add the finely chopped tomato.cook for another 3 minutes.

• Put the fried okra and  cooked chickpeas to it with adequate salt.

• pour the extracted tamarind juice with adequate water .

• Cook until okra is well done.
• Simultaneously mix rice flour in little water.

• Pour it in the curry and cook for another 2-3 minutes.

• Generally they use the water drained while cooking rice(this water is called mandi hence the name)instead o rice flour.but you can use whichever you opt.
• Tastes great with curd Rice/milk rice

Serves   6