Easy vendakkai fry or poriyal is a stir fried okra dish from tamil cuisine. Vendakkai is okra and poriyal is a stir fried curry. It is one of the basic side dishes served in a meal - with rice, sambar or rasam.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 15 minutes
  • Cook time: 25 minutes
  • Total time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 3
  • Category: Main Course
  • Cuisine: Tamil

Ingredients

  • 250 grams (9 ounces) ladies finger (/ okra / vendakkai)
  • 1½ to 2 tablespoons oil
  • 1 teaspoon urad dal
  • 2 teaspoon chana dal
  • ¼ teaspoon mustard seeds
  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds (or jeera)
  • 1 dried red chili (broken or green chili)
  • 1 sprig curry leaves
  • 1 Pinch hing
  • ¼ to ½ teaspoon red chili powder
  • ¾ tablespoon lemon juice
  • ⅛ teaspoon turmeric
  • Salt as needed
  • ¾ tablespoon urad dal
  • ¾ tablespoon chana dal
  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds (or jeera)
  • ¾ tablespoon sesame seeds
  • ¾ tablespoon coconut (optional)
  • 1 to 2 dried red chili ((omit if you have small kids for the meal))

Method

  1. Make the podi: optional - Dry roast red chili, urad dal and chana dal until golden. Switch off the stove and add sesame seed, cumin and coconut. Toss them till the sesame seeds splutter. Cool this and powder. You can also use idli podi or raw coconut instead of making this.
  2. Prep up okra: Wash okra under running water. Wipe them dry with a clean kitchen cloth. Cut them to thin half inch round slices.
  3. Temper: Add oil to a hot pan and add cumin, mustard. When they begin to splutter add the dal, red chili and curry leaves. When the dal turn golden, add hing and the chopped vendakkai.
  4. Stir fry: Stir fry for 2 to 3 mins. Squeeze lemon juice and stir fry until the stickiness/slime is gone. You have to constantly keep stirring to prevent burning.
  5. Spice vendakkai poriyal: Stir in the salt, turmeric, spice powder and red chili powder. Stir fry for 1 to 2 mins until aromatic. If you are using coconut, add it now and saute for 1 to 2 mins, until heated through.
  6. Serve vendakkai poriyal with rice and sambar.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.