Bendakaya (okra) Curry

Difficulty Rating 2 (Special Ingredients needed)

25 Lady’s fingers (okra) Wash, dry and cut into 1 ½ to 2 “pieces.
3-4 Tbsps Oil
½ tsp Mustard seeds (avalu)
1 tsp Cumin seeds (jeera)
big pinch (Fenugreek) methi seeds (about 10) (optional)
8-10 Curry leaves (optional)
3 medium Onions (about 2 cups finely chopped)
¼ tsp Turmeric powder
Salt to taste
2 tsps Chilli powder (adjust)
1 lime size Tamarind (soaked in ¼ cup of water and pulp extracted)
2 Tbsps Grated jaggery or 3 tbsps of sugar
1 garlic clove
1 tsp Cumin seeds (crush together coarsely with the garlic)
2 Tbsps freshly chopped coriander leaves for garnish (optional)

1. Heat oil. On low flame, add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. When they start popping, add methi seeds, and curry leaves for 30 seconds. Do not burn them.
2. Add chopped onions, turmeric and salt. On fry the onions till they turn light brown. Add chilli powder mix for a minute.
3. Add the okra (bendakaya) pieces, mix gently with the onions. Cover and cook for 10 minutes on low flame till the okra turns a little soft.
4. Add tamarind juice, jaggery/sugar, 2 cups of water and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cook for 10 more minutes till the gravy turns slightly thick or reaches your desired consistency. (Generally in andhra it is slightly watery).
5. Just before turning it off, add the crushed garlic and cumin seeds, adjust salt and chilli powder and let cook for a couple more minutes. Turn off the flame, garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves.
6. Serve hot with steamed rice, pappu and ghee.