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Sunday, October 27, 2013

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




                               
                               
                                                               

13 comments:

  1. Love the new template and the header.Love Chettinad cuisine. Okra curry looks yummy Sathya.

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    1. Thanks meena .My site is in beta version :)haha

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  2. Its our fav and have made a similar style. I like such simple side dishes, easy and equally delicious,

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    1. Oh you make similar style .Want to know about that .

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  3. Will surely try this one :) Loved it :)

    www.beautyfrontline.com

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  4. Love this dish. Will try very soon..

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  5. Looks delicious.Thanks for linking this to Gaythri'sWTML event hosted by me.

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  6. Seriously i love this mandi very much.

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  7. Did you use kanji for this mandi, I saw somewhere in tv show. Looks delicious. Love to try it.

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    Replies
    1. You mean the water that you wash rice?.After so many months i made it .So i forgot to add :).But i mentioned in blog that you can use the water used to wash rice.

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