Kerala Onam Special: Ladies finger Kichadi

Vendakka Khichdi is the common onam sadya dish, though kichdi can be made with bitter gourd or beetroot. It is a mildly spiced, pleasant tasting dish. The recipes for classic onam dishes like pachadi, kichadi, olan, kalan, pullissery, errisery….are all there for you in my onam sadya menu. Doesn’t the onam menu have a nice rhythmic sound to it? Quoting the list sounds like a Malayalam nursery rhyme.

Ingredients:

1.     Ladies finger – 250 gms

2.     Coconut Oil –for frying

Cut ladies finger into thin round pieces. Deep fry in hot oil till crisp.

3.     Grated coconut – ½ cup

4.     Green chillies -2

5.     Cumin seeds – ¼ tsp

Grind the coconut coarsely with green chillies and cumin seeds.

6.     Coconut oil – 1 tbsp

7.     Mustard seeds – 1 tsp

8.     Curry leaves – 1 sprig

9.     Dry red chilly - 1

Heat the coconut oil, add mustard seeds. When they splutter, add curry leaves and dry red chilly cut into two pieces. Add ground coconut, sauté for a minute. Add the fried ladies finger and mix.

10.  Thick Curd – ½ -1 cup

11.  Salt – to taste

Amount of curd depends on how thick you want the gravy to be. Add beaten curd and salt, cook on low flame for a minute. Remove from flame when it starts to simmer.

Secret Grandma Tips:

• Do not boil the curd, it will curdle.
• Fry the ladies finger till crisp, but be careful not to burn them.
• No turmeric is added, the dish is white in color.