A simple South Indian style okra fry recipe or vendakkai curry, as we say in Tamil! A perfect side for rice dishes!
A typical meal in our household is incomplete without a dry curry, aka poriyal in Tamil. This okra curry is one of the staples, and we make it weekly once or once in 10 days atleast. In Tamil, we call it okra or ladies finger, vendakkai, and in Hindi, bhindi. I should call this vendakkai “kari,” not curry. In this context, the word curry/kari means dry stirfry, not gravy curry.
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Don’t miss to check out my other okra recipes – okra raita, okra gojju, stuffed and baked okra, okra pulusu/tamarind-based gravy. More is coming, so stay tuned.
Ingredients
Like my kovakkai poriyal, this vendakkai poriyal is also a no-frill simple recipe with minimal ingredients. I rely on my cast iron pan, which makes the curry crisp even without a lot of oil. And you can make this curry in less than 30 minutes.
Okra: We need tender fresh okra for this recipe. Tough and woody okra won’t work well, so try to get tender ones. I have tried this recipe with the red/burgundy okra, but not with frozen ones.
Sambar podi and salt: To spice up the curry, you can use sambar podi or red chili powder or a mix of sambar and rasam podi too. I have tried this curry with dabeli masala too. (Watch my IG reels for the same) Get creative and use spices of choice. Of course, we need salt.
To Temper: We need some oil, and for tempering, I used only mustard seeds and urad dal. You can add chana dal too. I have used very minimal oil, and it’s a dry stirfry, more like chopped sukha(dry) bhindi.
Cleaning the okra
Even though you can make this curry in less than 30 minutes, cleaning the okra and chopping is a bit involving. I always prep my okra as a part of my weekend prep. I rinse the okra and pat them dry. You can also wipe the okra with a wet kitchen towel or tissue. Then trim the edges and chop them even into bite-sized pieces. Do not chop them too thin. When you cook, they stick, and the sliminess increases.
VVK Tip: Always wash/clean the okra before chopping.
If the okra is too slimy, add a tsp or two of rice flour, almond flour, or chickpea flour halfway through the cooking process.
Dietary specifications and serving suggestions
This okra curry is gluten-free, nut-free, and a vegan dish.
It’s a no-onion no-garlic recipe, but you can add onions or shallots. I have an okra curry recipe with peanuts and onion. Do check it out.
You can serve this okra fry as a part of your thali along with steamed rice, kuzhambu or sambar, or rasam. It also pairs well with coconut rice, lemon rice, or other rice varieties.
Preparation
- Heat the cast iron pan and add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds and urad dal. Allow the mustard seeds to splutter.
- Now add the chopped okra, salt, and sambar podi.
- Mix well. Reduce the heat to medium-low (on a number scale, 3 or 4) and cook for 15 to 18 minutes—no need to add any water or do not cover and cook. Keep stirring gently for every 4 to 5 minutes or at regular intervals for even cooking. Here is how the okra looks at different stages. Initially, okra will be slimy, but as it cooks or after about 13 to 14 minutes, you will notice okra becoming crispier.
- When okra becomes crisp and well cooked, turn off the heat. Serve warm.
Recipe notes
- Add any spice blend of your choices like sambar podi, rasam podi, or even dabeli masala. You can also keep it simple with red chili powder.
- Adjust the spice and salt to taste.
- When the okra is partially cooked, you can add a tsp or two of rice flour, chickpea flour, sooji, or almond flour to reduce the sliminess. I add depending upon the okra quality.
- I have given the approx cooking timing. But depending upon the heat setting and vessel you use and how tender/tough the okra is, it might be different. After about 12 minutes, taste the okra to check its doneness and cook until you get the desired crispiness.
- Do not overcrowd the cast iron pan with okra. You can cook up to 250 grams of okra in a single batch for a crispy version.
Explore other South Indian stir fry recipes
Loved this recipe?
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📖 Recipe
Okra Fry | Vendakkai Curry | South Indian Style Bhindi Fry
Equipment
- Cast iron pan or stir fry pan
Ingredients
Measurement details: 1 cup = 240ml; 1 tbsp = 15ml; 1 tsp = 5ml;
- 1.5 tsp oil
- ½ tsp mustard seeds
- ½ tsp urad dal
- 220 grams okra edges trimmed and chopped. I measured after chopped
- 1 tsp salt heaped, or to taste
- 2 tsp sambar podi or red chili powder. Adjust to taste
Instructions
- Heat the cast iron pan and add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds and urad dal. Allow the mustard seeds to splutter.
- Now add the chopped okra, salt, and sambar podi.
- Mix well. Reduce the heat to medium-low (on a number scale, 3 or 4) and cook for 15 to 18 minutes—no need to add any water or do not cover and cook. Keep stirring gently for every 4 to 5 minutes or at regular intervals for even cooking. Here is how the okra looks at different stages. Initially, okra will be slimy, but as it cooks or after about 13 to 14 minutes, you will notice okra becoming crispier.
- When okra becomes crisp and well cooked, turn off the heat. Serve warm.
Notes
- Add any spice blend of your choices like sambar podi, rasam podi, or even dabeli masala. You can also keep it simple with red chili powder.
- Adjust the spice and salt to taste.
- When the okra is partially cooked, you can add a tsp or two of rice flour, chickpea flour, sooji, or almond flour to reduce the sliminess. I add depending upon the okra quality.
- I have given the approx cooking timing. But depending upon the heat setting and vessel you use and how tender/tough the okra is, it might be different. After about 12 minutes, taste the okra to check its doneness and cook until you get the desired crispiness.
- Do not overcrowd the cast iron pan with okra. You can cook up to 250 grams of okra in a single batch for a crispy version.
Nutrition
I am not a nutritionist. The nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It varies depending upon the product types or brands.
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