DAHI BHENDI

Ingredients:

250 gms tender lady’s fingers (I used baby okra, wash and pat dry with a kitchen towel, trim the top and ends)

½ inch ginger piece

¼ tsp pepper corns

1 tbsp oil

1 dry red chilli (tear into two pieces)

1 tsp cumin seeds

2 green chillis slit lengthwise

1 tsp coriander pwd

pinch of turmeric pwd or haldi

1 tbsp besan (bengal gram flour) dry roast the flour stirring constantly till it gives a roasted aroma

1 cup curds (made from skimmed milk)

salt to taste

1 Peel the ginger and make a paste of pepper corns and ginger. Keep aside. Whisk the curds and keep aside.
2 Heat oil in a cooking vessel and add the dry red chilli and cumin seeds and stir fry till the aromas come out.
3 Add the green chillis, coriander pwd, turmeric pwd, besan and stir well for a few seconds. Don’t burn it.
4 Add the trimmed and cut lady’s fingers (which have been stir fried in a tbsp of oil for 3-4 mts) and salt and cook over medium heat stirring frequently for 4-5 mts.
5 Stir in the ginger-pepper corn paste.
6 Reduce flame and add the whisked curds and mix well and cook covered for 12-15 mts stirring occasionally or till the okra is cooked and you get the desired curry consistency.
6 Serve hot with white steamed rice or chapatis.


Note:

Cut each okra into two pieces if they are long. I usually heat a tsp of oil in a pan and fry the trimmed okras for 3-4 mts stirring continuously, before adding to the spices.