VENDAKKAI PULI KUZHAMBU

I wanted to try vatral kuzhambu with okra for a long time. I made it for today's lunch and i loved it.

INGREDIENTS :

• Okra / lady's finger / vendakkai - 5 nos (Chop into round thin slices)
• Tamarind - small gooseberry size
• **Sambhar powder - 1 - 1.5 tsp
• Salt - as needed
• Turmeric powder - 2 pinches
• Jaggery - a small piece

To temper :

• Cooking oil - 2 tbsp
• Methi seeds / Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Jeera- 1/2 tsp
• Urad dal - 1/2 tsp
• Toor dal - 1/2 tsp
• Small onions - 2 nos (finely chopped)
• Garlic cloves - 4 nos (-do-)
• Curry leaves - few (-do-)

METHOD :

• Soak tamarind in warm water for 20 mins and take the extract. Add salt , sambhar powder and turmeric powder.set aside.
• Now in a kadai , heat oil and add the tempering items in the same order.Saute for a while.Now add the chopped lady's finger pieces and saute well.
• Now add the tamarind extract and allow it to boil till okra gets cooked. Add a small piece of jaggery.
• Switch off the flame.Transfer to a bowl and add a tsp of gingely oil .Cover it and serve after 30 mins.This gives a special flavor for the gravy.

Mix with plain rice & enjoy with sutta appalam :)

** For sambhar powder recipe, please refer the side bar. U can use ur home made or store bought powder too.There will be no change in taste i guess..

KITCHEN CLINIC:

Lady's finger /Okra : Okra, also known as Ladies Fingers, Gombo, Bendi or Gumbo, appears to have originated from the West Africa and is well known for its great health benefits. Benefits of Okra According to research done by Ms. Sylvia Zook (Ph.D, nutrition, University of Illinois), Okra is full of valuable nutrients, nearly half of which is soluble fiber in the form of gums and pectins. Soluble fiber helps to lower serum cholesterol, reducing the risk of heart disease. The other half is insoluble fiber which helps to keep the intestinal tract healthy, thus decreasing the risk of some forms of cancer, especially colon cancer. Colon Cancer is the third most common form of cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related death in the Western world. The superior fiber found in okra helps to prevent diabetes and constipation. Okra is a rich source of many nutrients, including vitamins A, B6, C, iron and calcium. Ladies finger is a very useful vegetable and inexpensive medicine, as it is available practically round the year in India. Due to its sweet taste, cold potency, vata-pitta pacifier nature, strength promoting aphrodisiac qualities, it is a very useful to ladies close to menopause. It is found beneficial in leucorrhoea and dysuria also. Okra is also reported to be beneficial to those suffering from diabetes as it helps to stabilize the blood sugar. Some people have even claimed to have cured their diabetes or their condition greatly improved with the daily consumption of water that has been soaked with okra. **Take two pieces of Lady Finger (Bhindi) and remove/cut both ends of each piece. Also put a small cut in the middle and put these two pieces in glass of water. Cover the glass and keep it at room temperature during night. Early morning, before breakfast simply remove two pieces of lady finger (bhindi) from the glass and drink that water. Keep doing it on daily basis. Within two weeks, you will see remarkable results in reduction of your SUGAR. Health Benefits of Lady's Finger : 1) The vegetable is a good provider of good bacteria called the probiotics. Probiotics helps in biosynhtesis of vitamin B. They also help in proliferation just like the yoghurt. 2) Nurture you hair : Lady's Finger can be applied to hair as the last rinse to make your hair bounce. Follow the steps ahead Slice the lady's finger horizontally and boil it till the is brew is slim. Cool it off and add few drops of lemon juice to it. Apply this to your hair and enjoy the bouncy look. Lady's finger has other health benefits as mentioned below. Excellent laxative. Treats Bowels. Heals Ulcers. Soothes the gastrointestinal tract. Lady finger is also known as Okra. It is a very valuable source of nutrition. It can help with the following health conditions: It helps relieve constipation It helps control blood sugar as it curbs the rate at which sugar is absorbed from the intestinal tract. It helps in healing acid reflux It contains soluble fibre which helps in controlling the cholesterol level in our bodies. It contains insoluble fiber too which keeps the intestinal track healthy. Lady Finger helps in reducing risks of deadly diseases like cancer. Lady fingers are especially beneficial for the control of colo-rectal cancer . Human body is recommended to have a certain level of vitamin B 6 and folic acid. Half a cup of cooked Lady fingers provide nearly 10% of the recommended levels of vitamin B6 and folic acid. Here are some nutritional facts of Lady fingers: Okra Nutrition (half-cup cooked Lady Finger) contains: Calories : 25 Dietary Fiber : 2 grams Protein : 1.5 grams Carbohydrates : 5.8 grams Vitamin A : 460 IU Vitamin C : 13 mg Folic acid : 36.5 micrograms Calcium : 50 mg Iron : 0.4 mg Potassium : 256 mg Magnesium : 46 mg To retain the nutrients present in lady fingers, it should be cooked as little as possible, eg with low heat or lightly steamed. You can even eat it raw.