Vendakkai Poriyal | Ladies Finger Poriyal

Preparation

1. Rinse the okra a few times in fresh water and wipe dry all the okra with a clean kitchen towel. Make sure that there is no water or moisture on the okra pods before chopping them.
2. Then slice the bhindi into thin rounds of 0.25 to 0.5 inches. Keep aside.
3. Also chop 1 to 2 green chillies and coriander leaves. Keep aside.

Making vendakkai poriyal

1. In a shallow frying pan, heat sesame oil. Lower the heat. Add mustard seeds and urad dal.
2. On low heat saute till the mustard seeds crackle and the urad dal turns golden.
3. Then add the curry leaves and chopped green chilies or dry red chilies (broken & deseeded). Also add a pinch of asafoetida and turmeric powder. Stir to mix.
4. Add all of the sliced okra. Stir well.
5. Season with salt according to taste. Stir well again and saute the poriyal on a low heat without covering the pan with a lid. Keep on stirring at intervals of 3 to 4 minutes for uniform even cooking. Do not cover the pan with any lid.
6. Switch off the heat when the ladies finger is done and cooked well. This takes about 12 to 14 minutes on a low heat.
7. Lastly sprinkle chopped coriander leaves. 
8. At this stage you can also add grated fresh coconut if you want.
9. Stir and then serve vendakkai poriyal hot or warm as a side dish with curd-rice, sambar-rice or rasam-rice.
10. You can also pack this vendakkai fry in your tiffin box with a side of roti, paratha or whole wheat bread.