COCONUT AND CHILLI OKRA

“Vegetarians, and their Hezbollah-like splinter faction, the vegans ... are the enemy of everything good and decent in the human spirit.”  ― Anthony Bourdain, Kitchen Confidential

I'm going to forgive Anthony Bourdain his hatred of vegetarians because he's so good looking and because people with a sense of humour are so easy to forgive. Mostly because he's so good looking. Moving on and proving him wrong, is this tangy, tamarind-y, fascinating take on okra which is a joy for not being the usual okra fry that my cook packs as my lunch 4 times a week every winter.

 

What you’ll need:

3 tbsp vegetable oil

2tbsp garlic paste

1 tbsp urad dal
1 tbsp cumin seeds
2 tsp coriander seeds
2 tsp brown mustard seeds
1 tsp chopped ginger
2 – 4 dried chillis
½ kg Okra (chopped)
2/3 cup grated coconut
½ cup coconut milk
2 tbsp tamarind paste

How to:

1. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a small pan and add the coriander and mustard seeds, urad dal and red chilli. Once the seeds start to pop remove from flame and grind to a powder.

2. Heat the rest of the oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds. Let them brown a little.

3. Add garlic and ginger. Stir for ½ a minute.

4. Add okra and fry till cooked through.

5. Add the ground spices, grated coconut and salt. Let cook for 3 -4 minutes. Keep stirring so the spice evenly coats the vegetables.

6. Add the coconut milk and tamarind paste and stir in. Heat through for a couple of minutes. Serve.