Okra fry/Bendakaya Vepudu

Okra , a regular vegetable cooked @our home is a love or hate for many.In my childhood days I hated this veggie but now I love it.The greenish vegetable has a pleasant taste despite of being sticky/gooey.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 kg Okra washed ,dried and cut into small pieces
• 1 medium sized onion finely chopped
• 2 red chillies
• salt for taste
• few curry leaves
• few cilantro leaves
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/4 tsp of lemon juice to avoid stickyness
• 1 tbsp coriander powder
• 8-9 garlic pods
• 1 tsp dried coconut powder
• 1 tsp red chilli powder

for tadka/popu:

• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• few fenugreek seeds

Procedure:

1. In a pan add oil and once it is hot,add all poppu seeds.When the mustard seeds splutter,add onions,red chilli,curry leaves and turmeric powder.
2. When the onions become transparent ,add okra pieces and saute for few minutes.
3. Cook on low flame for 3-4 minutes. Add lemon juice inorder to avoid stickiness.
4. Make sure that okra is not overburnt by sauting in between.
5. Make fine powder of garlic pods,coriander powder,coconut powder,red chilli powder and add to okra.
6. Finally add cilantro and serve hot with rotis/rice.Goes well as side dish with dal/sambar.