Vendaikai Puli Kulambu | Okra Tamarind Curry

                I can proudly say that I am expert in this kulambu. Only problem with Okra is you have to wash, wipe, dry and then only you can cut it. If water is there then stickiness won’t go while frying. But the taste of this kulambu will make all these difficulties vanished from mind. I like the shallots in this kulambu very much.

It’s time to see the method to prepare this yummy puli kulambu with okra.

Ingredients:

Okra – 500 gms

Gingelly oil/ Sesame oil – 2 tbsp

Shallots – 20 to 25

Garlic – 10 cloves

Red chilly – 2

Curry leaves

Jeera/Cumin seeds – 1/2 tbsp

Sambar powder – 2 tsp

Coriander powder – 1/2 tsp

Methi powder – 1/2 tsp

Turmeric – 1/2 tsp

Tamarind – 1 big gooseberry size

Asafetida – 1/4 tsp

Coconut – 1/4 cup grated

Jagery – 1 tbsp or as needed

Method:

Wash the okra nicely and wipe with a cloth. Make sure there is not wet.

Soak tamarind in water for 5 mins or till the time you start cooking after cutting your vegetables.

Peel skin from the shallots and garlic.

Wash the shallots once to remove if there any soil.

Cut the shallots just into 2 pieces (to half not smaller than that).

Chop the garlic to small pieces.

Take shallots, garlic, and red chili and curry leaves together.

Now in a heavy bottomed pan or in non-stick pan, add sesame oil.

When the oil is hot, add mustard seeds, Urad dal and Channa dal.

When the dal changes to golden color add the shallots, garlic, red chilies and curry leaves.

Fry till the shallots change color slightly.

Once the shallot color changes, using ladle take 10 pieces of shallots (only) and keep aside.

Add Okra and Jeera into the pan and fry for 10 mins nicely.

Meanwhile extract 2 cups of juice from tamarind and keep aside.

Add sambar powder, coriander powder, Asafetida, Methi powder and Turmeric to the Okra mix. Stir well.

Add the tamarind juice, close with a lid and cook till the raw smell of tamarind goes.

Now take the reserved shallots in a mixer and grind to paste adding little water and add it to the Okra. Cook for 5 more min.

Grind the grated coconut to fine paste and add it to kulambu. Add jagery also at this point. Cook for 5 min or more and transfer it to serving bowl.
Tangy Vendaikai/Okra kulambu is ready to serve. This goes well with hot rice.

Note:

Adjust jagery depend on your taste bud. If you don’t like tanginess then you can add 1 more extra tsp of jagery.

Adding Methi powder and Cumins seeds are to compensate the heat to the body because of tamarind.

Asafetida and garlic is to avoid the gastric problem from tamarind.