Moving off to the recipe, bhindi or ladiesfinger (what a name!) is one of my favorite vegetable anytime. Take away it's sliminess and I am always ready for it. At times when I don't bring my lunch box to office, I order from a little restaurant behind our office for bhindi masala and I must say it is one of the best I have tried. Crisp deep fried bhindi in a thick masala sauce... hmm... This was just an attempt to recreate their taste. I avoided deep frying and just shallow fried the vegetables. Yes, in that case the taste does differ a bit, but the flavors are still very much in tact...
Bhindi Masala/ Ladiesfinger Curry
Serves 4
Ingredients:
500 gm ladies-finger
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp garlic paste
1/2 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 large onion, sliced
2 green chillies, slit
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 tbsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp chilli powder
A generous pinch Kasoori methi
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves for garnishing
Method:
Clean and pat dry the ladiesfinger. Cut into 1/2 inch pieces. Heat a frying pan with 1 tbsp oil and shallow fry the ladiesfinger till crisp. Set aside.
Heat the remaining oil in a saucepan. Splutter cumin. Saute the ginger and garlic paste till the raw smell goes. Add the onion and green chillies and saute till soft. Now add the tomatoes, and cook till smashed. Add in the masalas and kasoori methi and cook for around 5 minutes till the raw smell goes. Switch off and allow to cool.
Grind the masalas with around half a cup of water into a paste. Mix the paste with the cooked ladysfinger and bring it to boil. Adjust the salt and simmer the masala for 5 minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves.
Serve warm with rotis or rice!