Ladies finger Kootu-Vendakkai Kootu

Ingredients

• 500 grams Lady's finger ( (around 3 cups chopped))
• 3 Ripe tomatoes ( (3 medium size or 1 cup chopped))
• 3 slit Green chillies
• Tamarind ( (small gooseberry sized ball))
• 2 tsp Sambar Powder
• 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
• Salt as needed
• 1 tsp Rice Flour
• 3 tbsp Oil
• 1 tsp Mustard seeds
• 1 pinch Asafoedita/hing
• 1 sprig Curry leaves

Instructions

1. 1

   --- Preparations ---

2. 2

   Wash ladies finger well and wipe it dry otherwise it will be sticky. Discard the head and the tail and cut it into roundels.

3. 3

   Soak tamarind in hot water for 20 minutes and extract 1 cup of diluted tamarind water. Discard the pulp. If using tamarind paste, dilute 3/4 tsp of paste with a cup of water. You do not need much tamarind for this dish.

4. 4

   --- Method ---

5. 5

   Heat oil in a kadai, add mustard seeds, when it splutters, add hing and curry leaves.

6. 6

   Then add ladies finger, turmeric powder, sambar powder, green chillies, salt needed and cook on medium heat.

7. 7

   When the ladies finger is three fourth cooked, add finely chopped tomatoes and cook for 2-3 minutes.

8. 8

   Then add diluted tamarind extract and boil well on medium heat till the raw flavor goes.

9. 9

   Mix 1 tsp of rice flour with 1/4 cup of water without lumps. Add the rice flour mixture to the kootu and cook on medium heat for another 5 minutes and switch off the heat. The consistency of this vendakkai kootu should neither be thick nor too thin.

10. 10

    Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves.

11. 11

    Serve as a side dish for rasam or sambar or you can make any thogayal along with this.