Vendakai Mappas

Ingredients:

250 gms Vendakai / Okra

1 Onion Chopped

1 Tomato Chopped

1 tsp Khus-Khus

1 tsp Fennel seeds

1 tsp Cumin seeds

1 tsp Garam masala

1/4 tsp Turmeric pwdr

1/2 cup milk

1/4 tsp Sugar

Salt to Taste

Oil to fry

Some curry leaves

Cilantro Leaves for Garnishing.

Dry Roast:

1-2 Red chillies

1 tbsp Coriander Seeds

1 tsp Sesame seeds

1/4 cup Fresh Coconut Grating

Fried Vendakai/Okra for Vendakai Mappas..

Yummy Spicy Vendakai Mappas!!

Method:

1. Wash and cut the okra and fry them in oil just like how we make okra fry sabji and keep it aside.

2. Dry roast all the ingredients under ‘Dry Roast’.

3. In a pan, heat some oil and saute the chopped onions until they r transparent and then add the chopped tomatoes and saute  them until they r soft.

4. Let the sauteed onion and tomato cool for a while and then grind them along with the fennel seeds,khus-khus and also the above dry roasted ingredients into really fine creamy paste.(No traces of coconut gratings shud be seen add lill water if needed)

5. Now in a pan heat about 2 tbsp of oil and add cumin seeds,once they splutter add turmeric pwdr,garam masala,curry leaves and saute for a min in low flame.

6. Add the ground fine paste to the pan,add salt and also sugar  and let it boil.

7. Add the milk and continue boiling the gravy to the desired consistency.

8. Now add the fried okra/vendakkai to the gravy and cook for just 2 mins.

9. Transfer it to the serving bowl and garnish it with cilantro leaves.

10. Serve it as a side dish for chapathi/parathas or even rice.

Paratha served with Vendakai Mappas!!

TitBits 😀

* Make sure u add some salt while frying the vennadakai/okra. Just the way you make plain okra sabji without any seasoning.

* They must be fried really well otherwise they will turn mushy when cooked in the gravy at the last.

* I used 1 1/2 red chilly for medium spice gravy you can use upto 3 depending on your spice level .

* I have ground  all at one go. You can first grind the tomato-onion paste,keep them aside  and then grind the dry roast ingredients with fennel seeds and khus khus with some milk.

* Don’t cook the okra in the gravy for more than 2 mins.

This is a wonderful Kerala side dish that goes great with both Rice and Chapathi/Parathas.

I tasted this for the first time in an Indian Restaurant named Coramandel in Stamford,CT.

Not sure whether this is the perfect authentic way of  preparing Vendakkai Mappas but i just wanted to replicate that taste in my kitchen and hence this recipe.

Do try this recipe and am sure you ll love the gravy especially ;).

Native Keralites if u are aware of this recipe do let me know the authentic recipe too 🙂

Thanks a ton!

Enjoy the Vendakai Mappas!