Vendaikaai Mandi - Tangy Okra Curry

Mandi (மண்டி) is a curry dish unique to Chettinad. You will a find a version of this dish in every chettinad household. The beauty of this dish is that it can made with a lot of vegetables e.g Potatoes, White Channa, Egg plant and Okra. Vendaikaai (Okra) Mandi (வெண்டைக்காய் மண்டி) is the most famous of the lot. I made this delicious curry for lunch the other day. This dish uses only green chili's for heat, no masala powder is used. Here is the recipe

Preparation time: 10 min
Cooking time: 30-40 min.
Serves: 2

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound Baby Okra - Pinju Vendaikaai.
• 1/4 cup Channa (soaked and cooked).
• 2 Garlic pods.
• 3 green chilies (slit).
• 1/2 tsp tamarind paste.
• 1 small Onion.
• Oil for tempering.
• Salt as required

To Temper:

• 1/2 tsp Mustard seeds.
• 1/2 tsp Fenugreek.

Method:

• Clean the okra and cut them in to 1 inch pieces.
• Soak the Channa overnight and cook until soft.
• Heat the saute pan and add oil to it.
• When its hot add Mustard seeds and allow them to splutter.
• Add fenugreek seeds (let it change its color and start to release its aroma).
• Add the onions, green chilies, garlic and saute them until translucent.
• Add Okra and saute till the slime from the okra gets reduced.
• Now add some water and cook till the okra cooks through.
• Instead of water , traditionally you will find Chettinad cooks use the water which they use to wash rice. (அரிசி கலைந்த தண்ணி) 

• Now add the cooked channa ,salt and tamarind paste.
• Cook until the gravy thickens and reduces in volume by half.
• Serve it hot with rice.

Note:

• You can replace channa with potatoes,brinjal .

You might be intrested in tangy Summa kulambu,Drumstick gravy