Lady's Finger Coconut Curry (Bendekai Kai rasa)

No Garlic or No Onions Lady;s finger Coconut Curry.
Bende Kai is lady's finger or bindi. This curry is a thick gravy prepared using coconut but without dal. This yummy curry is called as kai rasa since coconut is used.

It is one of the traditional dish of our South Canara.(South Karnataka, Karavali/Malenadu), and we can have this curry with idli, dosa, chapati, any kind of rotti or roti, pooris and even plain rice. It is also served as one of the side dish in feast and festivals.
Lets see some benefits of having Coconut in our diet.
Kalpa Vruksha or Coconut tree supplies all that we need to live. It is one of the wonder trees on the earth and coconut have so many health benefits. It is said that coconut helps to stabilize blood sugar, lowering cholesterol, healing hydration and even it replaces blood plasma in an injury. It is recognized as a immune booster, anti fungal, antibiotic, antiviral and anti bacterial remedy for thousands of years to the whole world. Coconut helps to improve the digestion and ward of wrinkles. It also stabilize the glucose levels in our body. Coconut helps to build cells and increases the metabolism in our body.
Tip : Do not cook (boil) for a long time if you add coconut to the sweets or curries. It might turn as bad cholesterol. (Even kheer or payasam also should not be boiled for a long time if coconut milk or coconut is added).  
I have used lady's finger and some spices and prepared this curry. It has no onions or garlic in it.

Things Needed :

To Cook

Bendekai?Lady's Finger : 1/2 Kg (or according to your requirement)
Tamarind Pulp : 2 Tablespoons
To roast/fry 
Red chilly : 5 to 6
Methi/Fenugrik seeds : 1/4 Teaspoon
Urid dal : 1 Teaspoon
Coriander seeds : 1 Tablespoon
Curry leaves : 6 to 8
Ingh /Asafoetida : a pinch
To Grind : 
Coconut : 1/2 Cup
Fried/Roasted spices
To season :
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Urid dal : 1/2 Teaspoon
Curry leaves : 5 to 6
Ingh: a pinch
To Add :
Turmeric Powder : a pinch
Salt : as required
Jaggery : 1 Tablespoon

Method :

1. Wash and clean lady's finger, remove the moisture and cut it into small. (According to your wish).

2. Soak tamarind pulp in hot water and squeeze out the pulp. (A small marble size tamarind)
3. Grate coconut and keep it aside.

4. Keep a pan and dry roast/fry (1/2 Teaspoon of oil),methi seeds, urid dal till they turn slightly golden.
5. Add coriander seeds and red chilly and roast for another 1 minute. Add curry leaves and asafoetida. Remove from the pan.

6. Add grated coconut and grind it with roasted spice and required water till paste and remove from the jar and keep it aside.

7. Keep a pan and heat. Add a teaspoon of oil and mustard seeds and let it splutter.
8. Add curry leaves and ingh. Add cut lady's finger and fry nicely till they turn slightly greenish.
9. Add tamarind pulp, turmeric powder, jaggery and salt. Mix it slowly and let lady's finger cook on medium flame. (Till soft).
10. Add ground coconut mixture and mix it nicely and let it boil for 2 to 3 minutes.
Remove from the pan and shift it to the serving dish.

11. Serve with the main dish, that you have prepared.
12. Adding cut coriander leaves and a teaspoon of ghee adds to the taste.

Note :

Check lady's finger while cutting to make sure there is no worm inside the vegetable. Frying lady's finger helps to get the clear curry. (or it might turn sticky). Cooking in tamarind pulp helps the curry to get rid of sticky content of Lady's finger. Adding oil to fry the spice is optional. Adding methi/fenugrik seeds to the curry is to get good aroma and reduce the cholesterol level of the curry.
Adding onions or garlic is optional. Adding more or less chilly is also optional.
Time : 20 minutes
Serves : 4.

Brinjlal -Malabar Leaves Curry.

Brinjal/badane kai/Kattarikai and Malabar leaves curry is a side dish and it is one of the quick and an easy dish.

Brinjal is available in the market around the year. Brinjal/Egg plant is loved by many and there are so many varieties of brinjals available in the market.
One should be careful while buying brinjal. It should not be very soft, it should not have any hole in it.Since the worms make a way inside and stay there eating all the pulp. So check before you buy the vegetable.
I have used brinjals and home grown Malabar Spinach/Basale leaves. This curry is prepared with out coconut and dal. The leaves and brinjal mixes well and when you boil the vegetables and it will be very nice.
We can have this curry with idli, dosa, plain rice or any type of roti or rotti..
Lets see some benefits of having Dry Ginger in our diet.
Ginger is one of the healthiest spice. It is loaded with nutrient components which help our body. Ginger is used in cooking and as medicine. It is good remedy for digestion and it helps in reducing nausea. (Vomiting sensation). It also helps in common cold and flu. Ginger contain  good amount of anti inflammatory properties and common health problems like headache, common cold etc. It has good anti diabetic properties and good for lowering the blood sugar. It also help in losing weight, lowering the cholesterol levels. Ginger helps in reducing the menstrual pain in women. It also helps in reducing the muscle pains and used in beauty products too.
Brinjal/Egg Plant - Malabar Leaves curry has no dals or no coconut. It has no onions or garlic. We can have this curry with plain rice, idli, dosa, chapati or any kind of roti.
Lets see the recipe Now :

Ingredients 

To Cook :
Brinjals/Egg Plants : 4 to 5 (small size)
Malabar leaves (or any leaves of your choice) : 1 Small bundle
Tomatoes : 2
To Add :
Sambar Powder : 2 Tablespoons
Tamarind : 2 Tablespoon pulp
Turmeric Powder : a pinch
Salt : As required
Methi/Fenugrik seeds : 1/4 Teaspoon
Coriander leaves : 2 Tablespoon
Dry ginger powder : 1/2 Teaspoon
For Seasoning :
Oil : 1 Teaspoon
Ghee : 1 Teaspoon (Optional)
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Jeera : 1/2 Teaspoon
Ingh/Asafoetida  : a pinch
Curry Leaves : 6 to 8

Method :

1. Wash and cut brinjals and soak them in water.
2. Wash and cut  tomatoes and Malabar leaves and keep it aside.
3. Soak marble size tamarind in hot water for 5 minutes and squeeze out the pulp. Keep the pulp aside.

4. Now keep a big pan on the fire and add a glass of water. Let it boil. Add cut malabar/basale leaves.
5. Add brinjal pieces along with malabar/basale leaves. (squeeze out the water from brinjal before adding). Add methi seeds to the vegetable mixture.

6. Let it cook for 3 to 4 minutes. (Till they turn soft). Add cut tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes.
7. Add tamarind pulp, required salt and little jaggery. (optional). Add ginger powder.
8. Add sambar powder and mix it well and cook for another 2 minutes. Add coriander leaves.

9. Shift the ready curry to a serving bowl and add mustard seasoning.

10. Add a spoon of ghee and then serve with the main dish of your choice.

Sambar Powder Recipe : Dry roast methi seeds (1/4 teaspoon), Urid dal (1 teaspoon), coriander seeds (2 tablespoons), jeera (1/2 Teaspoon) and 5 to 6 red chilly (byadagi) one by one and dry grind it. (You can use 1 teaspoon of oil to fry these ingredients to get more taste). Adding ingh is optional.

Note :

You can use any type of brinjal. You can use methi, palak, harive (Amaranth leaves) instead of Malabar/Basale leaves. I have used home prepared sambar (curry powder) powder. You can use any brand of sambar powder. Adding onions and garlic is also optional. Adding methi seeds along with vegetables helps to reduce the cholesterol and adds taste to the curry.
Time : 20 minutes
Serves : 3 to 4