Vendakka Kichadi ~ Fried Okra in a Coconut Yogurt Sauce
Delicately spiced coconut and yogurt sauce topped with crispy fried okra - a perfect side!
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole milk yogurt
- 1 cup grated coconut
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2 Thai green chillies or Serrano chillies
- ½ inch piece of ginger
- Salt to taste
- For the Okra tempering:
- 2 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
- 10 curry leaves
- 3 okra sliced into thin rounds
Instructions
- Grind together the yogurt, coconut, cumin seeds, chillies, ginger and salt in a food processor or Indian style mixer grinder. Pour it out into a bowl and keep aside.
- Heat the oil in a small sauce pan or skillet and add the mustard seeds. Once they splutter, add the curry leaves and okra to it. Lower heat to medium let the okra fry till it crisps up to dark golden brown but not burnt. Pour this mixture over the yogurt mixture.
Notes
I use fresh grated coconut that was frozen. I thaw it and microwave for 30 secs before grinding so the oil that is separated when cold, gets mixed back in with the coconut flakes. Otherwise it forms a fatty layer.
Pour the okra mixture to the coconut mixture and let it be. Do not mix it in till its time to serve. Otherwise the crispy okra will get all mushy. You can also pour it into a separate bowl to mix it right before you serve. But remove it from the saucepan or the skillet you fried it in or else the mustard seeds will get burnt if they sit more in the hot oi
Pour the okra mixture to the coconut mixture and let it be. Do not mix it in till its time to serve. Otherwise the crispy okra will get all mushy. You can also pour it into a separate bowl to mix it right before you serve. But remove it from the saucepan or the skillet you fried it in or else the mustard seeds will get burnt if they sit more in the hot oi