Vendakka Kichadi (Pachadi) | Fried Okra in Yogurt Coconut Sauce ~ Sadya Dish

Onam is early this year towards August last week and most of the electronics,apparels and many things are on offers at this time of the year. This is one of the best festive time when all Keralites celebrate with zeal and enthusiasm.  Today's post is a simple dish with vendakka /okra and mixed with yogurt and coconut sauce. This dish is popularly called pachadi in our place but towards the central part and northern part of Kerala this is khichadi and the sweet version is called pachadi. Anyways the name doesn't make the dish differ in taste and this is a quick yet simple sadya dish which can be prepared towards the end of sadya making within no time. We are not celebrating Onam this year as my FIL passed away early this year. So no much fun to go on with Onam but I do prepare these sadya dishes not all together but one or the other in between.Unlike other pachadi or khichadi this has a delicious taste of the fried okra in the yogurt coconut sauce. Add the fried okra/vendakka just before serving to get the yummy flavors. This is a very small serving of khichadi but if you wish to make larger quantities then double up the ingredients and try this out. I usually make it as a side dish and so make only very less amount. Do check this out !!

Preparation time ~ 10 minutes
Cooking time ~ 10 minutes
Serves ~ 4
Author ~ Julie

Ingredients
vendakka / okra 8-10
salt to taste
oil 2tbsp

to grind coarse
coconut grated 1/2 cup
green chillies 2
mustard seeds 1/2 tsp

to temper 
mustard seeds 3/4 tsp
dry red chillies, 2 broken
curry leaves, a sprig
oil 2tsp

Method

• Wash and pat dry the vendakka /okra. Cut in small pieces in rounds.
• Grind the ingredients under listed to grind to a smooth paste. Remove the paste and add the curd and beat well in a mixer.
• Heat oil in a pan and add the okra pieces. Add in a dash of salt. Fry till the okra turns crispy. Drain on a plate and if you have left over oil then temper the kichadi in the same pan, keep aside.

• In another pan, heat the coconut yogurt mixture on a low heat and turn off heat as soon as it is heated (don't wait for it to boil). Add salt as needed.
• Heat oil in the okra fried pan and splutter mustard seeds, dry red chillies and curry leaves. Pour this over the curd mixture.

• Add in the fried okra just before serving. Mix and serve warm.

NOTES
* Use a mildly sour curd or yogurt. Don't use very sour yogurt.
* The kichadi thickens as it sits and can be prepared few hours in advance but make sure to mix the fried okra only just before serving.

A few more kichadi/ pachadi recipes that you can prepare for this Onam-
* Kumbalanga Kichadi (pachadi)
* Thamaravalayam Kichadi( Lotus Stem Kichadi)
* Pineapple Pachadi
* Beetroot kichadi
* Sweet Pachadi

Please enjoy making ur favorite dishes this Onam by clicking on this link- SADYA RECIPES 

Vendakka Thoran | Kerala Style Okra Stir Fry (Step by Step Pics)

There are many recipes that we get to devour during the course of life and some are cherished lifelong. Few of them make a variation to our tastes too. Same goes here in today's recipe until  I tasted this one last year for Onam. I had no plans to make vendakka as thoran as I always thought it turns slimy and mushy when once cooked so never thought this could make such a delicious thoran(stir fry). Last year I happened to taste this thoran for Onam. We generally eat sadya out on uthradam day and prepare sadya at home for Thiruvonam. The reason for eating out is very simple as ladies get bored of the elaborate cooking process of sadya both days when the whole family is united with grand parents, cousins and relatives. This is the scene when all are together for Onam like last year. And this vendakka thoran was served along with so many other sadya dishes for Uthradam sadya which I loved in particular. The vendakka was crisp and not mushy at all and had the addition of peanuts in it along with grated coconut. Then I tried recreating the same stir fry and didn't get the same tastes in the initial tries. Gradually mastered this stir fry and now all love it at home too. H doesn't like the addition of peanuts in it but me and kids love that extra crunch that makes this thoran stand out. As Onam is approaching I thought to share this yummy stir fry which you can try for sadya.

Preparation time ~ 20 minutes
Cooking time ~ 25 minutes
Serves ~ 4
Author ~ Julie

Ingredients
vendakka /okra 500 gms
shallots / kunjulli  4-5 fine chopped
garlic / velluthulli  1tbsp fine chopped
chilly powder / mulakku podi 1 tsp
turmeric powder / manjal podi 1/2 tsp
grated coconut 1/2 cup
curry leaves a sprig
salt to taste
coconut oil 1 tbsp

to temper
mustard seeds 1/2 tsp
red dry chilli 1 broken
curry leaves a sprig
*ground nuts 2tbsp
coconut oil 1tsp

Method

1. Wash the okra under running water and drain water completely. Using a kitchen towel or paper towels,wipe each okra to dry completely ( imp: this is an important step when making thoran/stir fry else the vendakka tends to leave stickiness).
2. Snip off the top and tail ends and cut the okra in less than 1/4" thickness in roundels. Keep aside. Dry roast the ground nuts in a pan and leave to cool. Once cooled, remove the skin by crushing in hands and split open in halves.
3. Heat oil in a thick bottomed pan and add the chopped shallots,garlic and curry leaves. When its slightly browned,add in turmeric powder,chilly powder on low flame. Add in the cut okra and saute to mix well. Add salt.

 

4.Cover and cook for 3 minutes. At this point the okra may look sticky but don't worry. Mix and stir the okra in between, when its 3/4 th cooked add the grated coconut. Give a quick stir,adjust salt. Cook covered for another minute.Then, keep stirring continuously on high flame and dry roast the okra well (takes about 2-3 minutes). Remember to scrape the bottom of the pan too(the best tasting part. Switch off flame once it looks dry and there isn't any sticky consistency.

 6. Heat oil in another pan, splutter mustard seeds when hot. Add in red dry chillies, curry leaves and the roasted ground nuts. Fry the ground nuts until slightly browned. Switch off flame and pour this over the okra stir fry. Enjoy this warm with rice.

NOTES
* You can leave out the ground nuts if you wish to. But let me tell you that ground nuts are the catch in this recipe.
* Temper this stir fry just before serving else the ground nuts lose their crunch.

Please check out this link to all nadan thoran and mezhukuparetti recipes.
 

Kurkuri Bhindi | Crispy Fried Okra | Moricha Vendakka (Step By Step Pics)

Vendakka or bhindi(okra) is a versatile vegetable which can be used in curries,sambar or stir fry and it tastes great in all forms. We are a big  fan of this veggie and always buy whenever I get hold of fresh okra in the market. I have already posted few vendakka recipes, check out below if interested. My kids love the regular vendakka mezhukuparetti very much and invariably gets over soon at home. This is a north Indian style bhindi preparation that makes it crisp and crunchy. We had it with steamed rice and varutharacha sambar. This is a quick fix recipe that you can prepare in half an hour. Though the recipe demands deep frying but I just used my non stick pan and shallow fried in tow or three batches. It came out really crisp an delicious. Try and enjoy if you love it !!

Preparation time(incuding marination)~20 mins
Cooking time ~10 mins
Serves 3-4
Ingredients
to marinate (first)
okra 250 gms
cumin seeds 1/2 tsp
coriander powder 2 tsp
chilli powder 3/4-1 tsp
amchur powder/dry mango powder 1/2 tsp
turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
salt to taste

to marinate(second)
besan flour 2tbsp
rice flour 1tbsp

Oil to fry

Method

• Wash the okra under running water. Drain the water completely and wipe each okra with a paper towel or leave to dry before cutting( reduces the sliminess).
• Cut the okra length wise in half and then quarters. Place it in a wide bowl and add the spice powders,salt listed. Mix well and then leave 10 minutes,the salt helps to moisten the okra and spices get well coated with the okra.
• Add the besan and rice flour,give a quick toss.Adjust salt if required (You may find the seeds popping out from the okra,not to worry and leave the seeds aside).

• Heat oil in a pan/ wok and add the bhindi in batches on medium heat. Don't overcrowd the pan. Keep stirring and turning to get it evenly browned. (You can even deep fry the okra in oil but I feel this came out really good and so prefer shallow frying in a non stick pan).
• Drain on a paper towel to absorb the excess oil.
• Finish all the marinated okra and serve hot with steamed rice and varutharacha sambar like we did !!

NOTES
* I have shallow fried the bhindi in a non stick pan with very less oil and it cam out really crisp(takes slightly more time but more healthier I feel).
* You can use 1tsp lemon juice instead of amchur powder or dry mango powder.
* Adding rice flour makes the bhindi more crispier.
* The recipe is adapted from Manjula's Kitchen but slightly tweaked too.

TIP FOR SELECTING TENDER OKRAS

Snap the tail (pointed end)of each okras,If it snaps easily then its fresh and tender.If it bends and retracts,this means its fibrous and over matured.It will not cook properly.Always select tender ones.

 Check out more vendakka (okra) recipes below-

Vendakka Theeyal

Bharwan Bhindi( Stuffed Okra)

Dahi Bhindi

Vendakka Paal Curry