Bowing to the Queen…

While I do try and bring as many different flavours and tastes to our table at, sometimes a traditional dal-roti-sabzi meal is all we desire. While I can the veggies I actually enjoy eating on my fingers, I make up for the minimal mumber with the oh so many different variations I use to cook them.

There is always a way of cooking any veggie you don’t enjoy so much in a way that will keep you asking for more. Okra, or lady-finger as it is known in India, is one such veggie. Known as the queen of veggies, with its elegantly shaped form and crown-like head, it does require some special care while cooking.

While I don’t usually pounce on a stack of them to pick the best ones at the store, I do sometimes, however, look forward to one of the simplest and tastiest side dishes I know to make. And while I do bring a batch home every other week (hubby dear totally loves it, you see!), this is one of the few ways I relish it. A simple three-step process of chop-fry-serve makes this dish a definite keeper and especially good for a large crowd!!

Bhindi Pyaaz (Okra with Onions)

Ingredients:

10-15 whole fresh okra, washed and dried thoroughly dried with a cloth 1 medium-sized red onion, sliced 1 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp red chili powder 1/4 tsp turmeric powder salt, to taste 1 tbsp cooking oil

Method:

1. Make sure the okra is thoroughly dried on the outside. Discard ends and cut into half centimeter thick pieces.
2. In a no-stick pan, heat oil and add cumin seeds.
3. Once they start to sizzle, add in okra pieces and saute for a minute or two. Cover the pan and allow it to cook for 10-15 minutes on a medium-low heat.
4. Once the okra starts to cook and lose its sticky texture, add in onions and spices and stir well to mix in spices evenly.
5. Cover cook for another 7-10 minutes till onions tenderize and start to brown on the edges.
6. Serve warm with Dal and fresh rotis.

This entry was posted on Monday, February 27th, 2006 at 11:16 am and is filed under Recipes: Vegan, Recipes: Vegetarian. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.