Vendaikkai Poriyal (Okra Stir Fry)

Lady's Fingers bring fond memories of childhood, nunching them raw and hearing advice from elders that eating lot of lady's fingers would sharpen your Math skills. I rarely munch on them raw here because of the slime. I either did not notice them when I used to do that back home or the ones we get here have more slime or most probably they are not as fresh. Anyway it is one of my favorite vegetables cooked in Sambhar, kara kuzhambu, puzhikuzhambu or poriyal the taste is always amazing. Here is a simple but a really tasty recipe for vendaikkai Poriyal. The amchur powder helps in getting rid of the slime quickly.



Ingredients
1. 1 1/2 lbs Okra
2. 1 Medium sized onion cut lengthwise
3. 3 green chillies slit
4. 1 tsp of amchur powder or 2 tsp of lemon juice
5. 2 tsp Sambhar powder
6. 1 tsp turmeric powder
7. seasonigs, cumin,mustard,urad dal, curry leaves
8. 1 tbsp oil

Method
1. Wash the okra and let them dry or pat dry then slit them in half and cut into lenghtwise strips.
2. In a saute pan heat half tbsp oil, add the urad dal when they start to brown add the cumin and mustard seeds, when they start to pop add the onion and saute till they turn brown. Add the green chillies.
3. Now add the turmeric powder, salt and amchur powder and mix welll.
4. Add the cut okra and mix them well.
5. Lower the flame and let the okra cook, the okra start to turn a dark green when they are cooked. Do not over toss the okra they get more slimy.
6. Now add the remaining oil, check for salt add the sambhar powder and let them cook for a few more minutes.

Serve warm with Rice or with chappathis.