Lady Finger - Tomato Curry

Lady Finger/Bendekai/Okra is liked by many. It is loaded with healthy medicinal values. 

I have used tomatoes and lady finger and prepared this curry.
Lets see some benefits of eating Lady Finger in our diet. 
Lady finger is loaded with soluble and insoluble fiber. It helps in easy digestion of food and good for people who suffer from constipation. It is good for diabetes. It contain Vitamin K and it is good for strengthening bones in our body. It is said that it is good for sun stroke. It does contain good nutrients and good for obesity. Lady finger contain Vitamin C and good for healthy skin. It controls the levels of cholesterol and improves the immunity system in our body. Lady finger is loaded with antioxidants.
Lets see the recipe Now : No Onion or No garlic is used in this Lady Finger - Tomato Curry .

Things Needed :

To cook :
Lady Finger : 250 Grams
Tomatoes : 2
To Add : 
Masala Powder : 2 Tablespoons
Jaggery : 1 Tablespoon
Lemon : 1 Teaspoon
Sat : Required
Turmeric Powder : A pinch
Coriander leaves : 2 to 3 Tablespoons.
Green chilly : 1
To Season : 
Oil : 1 Tablespoon
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Jeera/ Cumin Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Methi seeds : 3 to 4
Ingh/Asafoetida : A pinch
Curry Leaves : 6 to 8

Method :

1. Wash and remove all the moisture from lady finger and cut into thin slices.
2. Wash and cut tomatoes (remove the seeds) and keep it aside.

3. Wash and cut coriander leaves, curry leaves and keep it aside. Slit green chilly.
4. Keep a pan and put oil. Put mustard seeds and let it splutter.
5. Add jeera/cumin seeds, methi seeds, curry leaves and ingh.
6. Add cut lady finger pieces and fry nicely till they turn soft.
7. Add tomatoes and jaggery and fry nicely till it is cooked. (On medium flame). Add cut green chilly.

8. Add salt, masala (spice powder) and mix it well. Let it cook on low flame for 2 minutes. Add lemon extract (1/2 Lemon) and put off the fire.

9. Shift the ready curry to a serving dish and add cut coriander leaves.

10. Serve as one of the side dish with rice, chapati, poori or roti.

Note :

No need to add any water. Fry lady finger pieces nicely in oil. So it does not become sticky. Adding any spice powder to curry is optional. (I have added home made spice powder). Adding onions and garlic is optional. Adding jaggery is optional.
Time : 20 minutes
Serves : 2 to 3 

Home Made Spice powder Recipe :

Dry roast :

4 to 5 Tablespoons of Coriander seeds
1 Teaspoon of Jeera /Cumin Seeds
1 Teaspoon of Channa dal (Kadale bele)
1 Teaspoon of Urid dal
8 to 10 Red byadagi chilly
Ingh /Asafoetida : a littel
Curry Leaves : One handful.

Dry roast each ingredients separately till they turn slightly brown. Dry grind once they turn cool.
Store in air tight bottle. 

Nendra Baale -Wheat Halva

Nendra Bale - Wheat Halva is a sweet dish and it can be served or eaten as desert. Nendra bale -wheat Halva is always easy to prepare and it is one of the yummy dish to have.

I have used jaggery instead of sugar. Jaggery helps to add iron to our body. It boost energy and contain little carbohydrates
Nendra Baale -Wheat Halva is the perfect sweet for any Celebration. Fresh and Healthy sweets are more enjoyable and helps to be fit too.
Deepavali is celebrated for 4 to 5 days. First day Neeru tumbuva habba, the name it self reveals that neeru means water, tumbu means fill. So the first day eve is celebrated by performig pooja to water and fill the big Hande (the one which water is boiled) will be the done and Hande (big Pot) is decorated with rangoli. Next day early moring water is boiled and people get ready for oil bath. that is called Enne Snana. (Oil bath). After the bath the elder of the home is perform pooja and pray well ness of the whole family and all the members of the family gather in the pooja room. They take the ashirvad (blessings) of the elders, pooja and nevaidya (samarpane) is done. Early morning boiling water is a big process. Oil is put up to everyone's head and each one will bath and freshen them selves, wear new clothes. After the pooja is done and then Upahar. ( Morning breakfast) which is normally dosa and panchakajjaya. which is already made naivedaiyam to Lord.
Let us see the recipe now :
Wheat flour : 1 Cup
Jaggery : 1 Cup. (Grated)
Nendra Banana : 1
Cardamom  : 4 to 5 pods
Ghee : 1/2 Cup
Cashew  and Almonds  : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Poppy Seeds : 1 Tablespoon
Water : 1 Cup.

Method :
1. Dry roast wheat nicely till the raw smell goes off. Keep water for boiling.
2. Cut nendra banana into small pieces and keep it aside.

3. Grate or powder jaggery and keep it aside. Cut Almonds into small pieces and keep it aside.
4. Now keep a big pan on the fire and put roasted wheat flour. Add boiling water and mix it well.

5.Add powdered jaggery and mix it nicely. Add a spoon of ghee and stir nicely.

6. Add cut banana and mix it well. Stir till the halva leaves the pan and it turns as one whole.
7. Add cut almonds and mix it well. Fry cashews in a teaspoon of ghee and keep it aside.

8. Powder cardamom and greese the tray or plate. Fry cashews in a spoon of ghee.

9. Add little more ghee and mix the halva nicely. Add cashew and poppy seeds and mix it again.

10. Shift the ready Nendra Baale - Wheat halva to a ghee spread plate/tray.

 11. You can cut it into small pieces once it cools down.
12. You can also serve this halva when it is hot. Put a spoon of halva and  put a spoon of ghee and serve.

Note :
Adding ghee on the top of hot halva (when it is hot) adds to the taste.
Adding more ghee helps the halva to be more rich and tasty.
Needs to cook on  low and medium flame.
You can also add roasted cashews. (optional). Dry roasting /frying in ghee is optional. (Cashews). I have fried cashews in ghee. Added almonds as they are. (Did not fry or roast).
Time : 30 Minutes
Serves :  20 to 25 pieces.