Vendakkai Puli Kootu | Vendakkai Kootu | Tangy Lady's Finger Curry

Vendakkai Puli kootu is a tangy, spicy side-dish that can be served as sides with rice. This dish can be prepared in a very few minutes and is fuss free too, you do not need any extra masalas, just some ingredients from your pantry will do hence will best suit a normal day menu. You can opt for making it either dry or saucy according to your wish. The flavors of cumin, ginger and garlic makes the dish taste excellent. You can either serve it as sides or you can use it like a curry to directly mix it up with rice. Pick lady's finger that is dark green colored, not damaged, slender and soft, not mature and ones that has not been infected with worms. If you love tangy flavored dishes then this one is for you. 

Check out some of my other Okra / Lady's finger dishes!!

Lady's Finger / Okra Sambar

Spicy Lady's Finger Fry

Lady's Finger Poriyal

INGREDIENTS

Serves 2 people
Total Preparation Time - 15 minutes 

1. Lady's finger / Vendakkai - 10 
2. Shallots - 5 
3. Big onion - 1 
4. Tomato - 1 
5. Garlic pods - 1 (optional) 
6. Ginger-Garlic paste - 1/2 spoon 
7. Curry leaves - Few
8. Tamarind - 1 small gooseberry sized 
9. Red chilli powder - 1/4 spoon (Add 1/2 spoon if you want it very spicy) 
10. Cumin seeds - 1/4 spoon 
11. Mustard seeds - 1/4 spoon 
12. Salt - As per taste 
13. Oil - 4 spoons 

PREPARATION METHOD

• Soak tamarind in 1/2 cup of water and set aside for 10 to 15 minutes. After the specified time, mash the soaked tamarind well and extract the juice. Discard the pulp.
• Meanwhile peel and chop shallots and big onion, wash and cube tomatoes into big pieces. Set aside. 
• To clean lady's finger use a wet tissue paper or a wet cloth and just wipe them. Do not wash it will become very sticky. Else you can wash, let all water drain and dry, then wipe using a cloth and use it. Chop off the cap and tail, discard them. Now chop the lady's finger into 1 inch long pieces and set aside. 
• Now place a frying pan on flame and pour oil into it. After it heats up splutter mustard seeds, cumin seeds and curry leaves. 
• Then add chopped onions and saute until it turns translucent. 
• Now add ginger garlic paste and saute, add some salt, red chilli powder and saute well on low flame until the raw smell leaves. 
• Now add the cubed tomato and saute for a minute. 
• Then add the chopped lady's finger and saute well for 2 minutes.
• Now pour the tamarind water stir well. Check for salt and add if needed. 
• Cook until the lady's finger pieces gets cooked and the water content reduces. (You can make it watery  by poring some extra water or more like a curry according to your wish)
• Remove from flame and serve!!

TIP 1: Some do not like the seeds in the lady's finger, if so you can just slit the vegetable and remove the seeds, then chop and use it. Discard vegetable that has been infected with worms. Select dark colored lady's finger that are not matured but slender and soft. 

TIP 2: You can increase or decrease the tanginess according to your wish. 

TIP 3: You can prepare the same dish with brinjal too.