Lady's finger/bendekai/bendi/Okra is liked by many and disliked by many too. It has its own flavour and when cooked it leaves out the stick starch and people will dislike for this lady's finger's sticky content.
Lady's finger is very good vegetable and it is said that it helps in keeping your memory intact. It has very good fiber source and good for all age group. It has so much medicinal value and it helps to keep the diabetes away and control the blood sugar level in people who are already suffering from diabetes. It also helps people who suffer from constipation since it is rich in fiber.
Lady's finger brings me very good memory of Our Nigeria Life.
We lived in Nigeria during 1981 to 86. (My hubby spent almost 15 years in Africa). The state named Gangola. The capital city of Gangola is Yola. My hubby was a physics Lecturer there in one of the college. We had a nice two bedroom house in the College Compound. Most of the houses had boys quarters where the students family live and do house chores of the house they belonged to. The boys quarter which belong to teachers, was very close. I used to watch them cooking from our house. They normally cooked outside keeping three stones and put fire wood.
The food was normally cooked in the evening. They used to to cut Okra /Small size lady's finger,
put it to boiling water. Then pour semolina and mix it well. And also they used to add meat or fish straight into it. After some time the food is cooked and they do eat with their whole family. The food was so sticky we could see them pulling the food with their fingers.
That was indeed some good memory.
We Indians definitely won't like that sticky curry right? To remove the sticky content you need to fry bendi/lady's finger nicely, or cook them in tamarind pulp or microwave them with tomatoes. These steps really help to reduce or remove the stick content in the curry.
Coming back to my Lady's finger - Passion fruit curry it is simple and if you don't get passion fruit not to worry. Add some lemon instead of passion fruit. It taste almost the same.
Let us see the recipe now :
Carrots : 2 (medium sized).
Curry Powder : 2 Tablespoons
Tomatoes : 2 to 3
Jaggery : 1 Teaspoon
Passion fruit : 1
Oil : 1 Tablespoon
Seasoning :
Cooking Oil : 1 Teaspoon
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Tsp
Ingh : A pinch
Curry Leaves : 5 to 6
2. Wash carrots, scrape out the outer layer slightly and cut them into long pieces.
3. Wash and cut tomatoes and keep it aside. Cut passion fruit and sieve the juice from it. Keep it aside.
4. Keep a pan on the fire and add 1 tablespoon of oil. Put 2 to 3 seeds of methi seeds.
5. Add Lady's finger and fry till they turn soft.
6. Keep a pan on the fire and add little oil. Add mustard seeds and let it splutter, add ingh and curry leaves.
7. Add cut tomatoes and fry for a minute. Add carrots and stir. Add a glass of water and let carrots cook for 5 minutes.
8. Check that carrots are soft. Add fried lady's finger and stir slowly. Add salt
9. Add passion fruit juice to the curry and mix it slowly.
10. Add very little jaggery. (Optional) . Add sambar powder.
12. Let the curry boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Shift to the serving dish and serve with the main dish you have prepared.
Adding any brand of sambar powder is optional. I have added home prepared sambar powder.
Adding more tomatoes or carrots is optional.
Time : 30 Minutes.
Serves : 2 to 3.
Lady's finger is very good vegetable and it is said that it helps in keeping your memory intact. It has very good fiber source and good for all age group. It has so much medicinal value and it helps to keep the diabetes away and control the blood sugar level in people who are already suffering from diabetes. It also helps people who suffer from constipation since it is rich in fiber.
Lady's finger brings me very good memory of Our Nigeria Life.
We lived in Nigeria during 1981 to 86. (My hubby spent almost 15 years in Africa). The state named Gangola. The capital city of Gangola is Yola. My hubby was a physics Lecturer there in one of the college. We had a nice two bedroom house in the College Compound. Most of the houses had boys quarters where the students family live and do house chores of the house they belonged to. The boys quarter which belong to teachers, was very close. I used to watch them cooking from our house. They normally cooked outside keeping three stones and put fire wood.
The food was normally cooked in the evening. They used to to cut Okra /Small size lady's finger,
put it to boiling water. Then pour semolina and mix it well. And also they used to add meat or fish straight into it. After some time the food is cooked and they do eat with their whole family. The food was so sticky we could see them pulling the food with their fingers.
That was indeed some good memory.
We Indians definitely won't like that sticky curry right? To remove the sticky content you need to fry bendi/lady's finger nicely, or cook them in tamarind pulp or microwave them with tomatoes. These steps really help to reduce or remove the stick content in the curry.
Coming back to my Lady's finger - Passion fruit curry it is simple and if you don't get passion fruit not to worry. Add some lemon instead of passion fruit. It taste almost the same.
Let us see the recipe now :
Things Needed :
Lady's Finger /Bendekai/ Bendi : 10 to 12 or moreCarrots : 2 (medium sized).
Curry Powder : 2 Tablespoons
Tomatoes : 2 to 3
Jaggery : 1 Teaspoon
Passion fruit : 1
Oil : 1 Tablespoon
Seasoning :
Cooking Oil : 1 Teaspoon
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Tsp
Ingh : A pinch
Curry Leaves : 5 to 6
Method ;
1. Wash and wipe out the moisture completely from Lady's finger. Cut and keep it aside.
2. Wash carrots, scrape out the outer layer slightly and cut them into long pieces.
3. Wash and cut tomatoes and keep it aside. Cut passion fruit and sieve the juice from it. Keep it aside.
4. Keep a pan on the fire and add 1 tablespoon of oil. Put 2 to 3 seeds of methi seeds.
5. Add Lady's finger and fry till they turn soft.
6. Keep a pan on the fire and add little oil. Add mustard seeds and let it splutter, add ingh and curry leaves.
7. Add cut tomatoes and fry for a minute. Add carrots and stir. Add a glass of water and let carrots cook for 5 minutes.
8. Check that carrots are soft. Add fried lady's finger and stir slowly. Add salt
9. Add passion fruit juice to the curry and mix it slowly.
10. Add very little jaggery. (Optional) . Add sambar powder.
12. Let the curry boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Shift to the serving dish and serve with the main dish you have prepared.
Note :
If do not get passion fruit add lemon extract. / One lemon extract will serve the purpose.Adding any brand of sambar powder is optional. I have added home prepared sambar powder.
Adding more tomatoes or carrots is optional.
Time : 30 Minutes.
Serves : 2 to 3.
