Vendaikkai Puli Kuzhambu (Okra in tamarind sauce)

November 3rd 2007, National Day of Climate Action - Visit Step it Up 2007 for more information and events planned in your area.


Growing Greens
I am absolutely glad I planted Swiss Chard, every week they have provided us with their bounty, just a few pots with about 10 plants. A quick green addition to any dal. So if you want greens make sure you plant a few come spring :)

Lady's Finger aka Okra
I would consider Okra to be a perfect vegetable! Why and what exactly is a perfect Vegetable? Well in my humble opinion a vegetable that can be cooked in several different forms and tastes absolutely delicious without loosing its form. Well now we are cooking. Be it in a stir fry, sambhar, Puli Kuzhambu, Kaara Kuzhambu it still maitains its crunchiness and taste. When it is fresh it can even be eaten raw like a carrot.

The older the vegetable the slimier it gets. The slime is directly proportional to the number of days it sat in the fridge. Slime is perhaps the only thing that I don't like about the vegetable. We can't have it all can we?

Of all the different vegetables that taste good in a Puli Kuzhambu okra has to be my absolute favorite. Few precautions can help keep the slime at bay. If the okras are not fresh, wash them ahead of time and dry them in the sun a little bit. Trying to cut while still wet makes them slimier so make sure they are dry.

Ingredients
1. 20 Okra ends removed and cut into about 1/2" pieces
2. 3 Green chilies slit
3. 1 -2 Red chilies slit
4. 1/2 medium red onion chopped
5. 1 -2 garlic cloves whole (optional)
6. 1 tsp sambhar powder (optional)
7. 1 tsp turmeric powder.
8. Seasonings - cumin, urad dal, methi seeds, curry leaves a few of each
9. 1 1/2 of tamarind pulp from a small lemon size ball.


Method
1. In a wide mouthed pad heat a tsp of oil and fry the okra, saute till they turn black and brown and the slime is gone. Set aside
2. Add 2 tsp of oil to the same pan, add the seasonings, add ural dal first when slightly brown follow with the other seasonings.
3. Add the green chilies and red chilies and then the onions and saute till translucent
4. Add the garlic cloves and the okra pieces
5. Add the turmeric powder and sambhar powder, mix
6. Add the tamarind pulp, cover and cook till the okra is the required texture (about 8-10 minutes)
7. Add salt cook for a minute more and turn of the heat

Serve with some keerai paruppu (dal with greens) and rice.