Bendakaya Teepi Pulusu/Okra in Jaggery and Tamarind gravy

Bendakaya/ Okara is our all time favorite vegetable. We like it in every form, fry, curry with tomato, pulusu, stuffed (u get the gist). Bendakaya/Okara pulusu is a simple yet tasty recipe from Andhra. Okra is cooked with some jaggery to cut down the tanginess from the tamarind.

Ingredients:
1/4 kg or 250 gms Bendakayalu/Okra (cut into 1&1/2 inch pieces)
1 and 1/2 medium onion, diced,
2 green chillies, chopped,
4-5 curry leaves,
Red chilly pwd (to taste),
Salt to taste,
A pinch of turmeric pwd,
A small lemon sized tamarind, extract thick juice,
Small lemon sized jaggery(to taste),
Oil for cooking.

 Method:

• Heat oil in a pan and then add the curry leaves.
• Add the chopped chillies and diced onion and fry till the onion turn translucent.
• Add the chopped okra, salt, turmeric pwd and red chilly pwd and combine.
• Close the lid and let simmer for about 8 mins.
• Then add the tamarind extract and jaggery. Combine.
• Add some water (if the tamrind extract is thin, there is no need to add the water).
• Cover with lid and simmer till the sauce thickens or till the okra is cooked through..
• Switch off and serve with white rice.
• Enjoy!!!