Okra, Basmati & Kadhi

Okra must be the prettiest fruit pod among the perennials. When cut into slices the pieces look like small flowers. However, its beauty comes with controversy. It is mucilaginous and turns into slime if cooked without precaution! In some cultures gooiness is considered virtuous, lending an exotic character and texture to food. I’m glad I was introduced to okra in India, where it is usually fried to the perfection of crispiness. I’ve had occasional cooking disasters in the kitchen to know my preference. Goo is not cool!

There are several ways to prepare okra, most common being deep (and shallow) frying. Although the aroma of vegetables seems to love it, the method is strenuous to the digestion. In rare situations when going around is not possible, I give in. It is a justifiable cooking process during festivals and special events when high quality frying ghee is abundantly available and small portions of multiple preparations are served, but to soak food in an excess amount of fat in daily basis doesn’t attract me.  My liver revolted years ago. In the Western world we are blessed with an oven. No matter the type of vegetable in need of roasting, oven delivers almost as well as a pot of hot ghee or oil. It applies to okra, too.

To reduce sliminess, okra is cut when absolutely dry. After washing the pods with cold water you can let them air dry or tap them dry with a towel. If you make sure the utensils are dry as well, you’ll be fine. Coating okra with chickpea flour or similar before frying will help, too.

As a plant, okra is generous. It is related to species like cocoa, cotton and hibiscus. Every part can be utilized in cooking. Leaves and stalks are used like spinach or salad. Flowers are edible as well. During World War II, the shortage of coffee beans resulted in using okra seeds as a substitute for coffee. It is one of the most heat and drought tolerant vegetable plants in the world.

Besides pretty, okra is delicious as well. It has a mild and soft taste that handles spices well. In fact, it is often served as a piquant starter for a greater meal or a side dish of a simple lunch. Fresh yoghurt compliments it well. I served it with piping hot white basmati-rice and fragrant kahdi soup (or sauce) for an early afternoon snack. I kept okra and kadhi separately, but they can be combined as a dish, too. In such case, okra is cut into smaller, bite-size chunks.

OVEN FRIED OKRA

Okra
Hing
Turmeric
Cayenne
Ground coriander
Cinnamon, cloves and cardamom
Ghee or oil
Salt
Chickpea flour (besan) for coating
Desiccated coconut

Wash and let okra dry
Slit on half lengthwise
Rub in just enough oil or ghee to lightly cover the vegetables
Sprinkle liberally with spices, but don’t overdo with cinnamon, cloves and cardamom.
Add a good amount of chickpea flour to coat okra well
Let it stand for 10 minutes before placing into the oven
Place on an oven tray (single layer only)
Roast in the middle section in 220 C until they are becoming evenly golden
You may have to turn them around once or twice
A few minutes before you are ready to take them out, add coconut and let turn golden (if you add coconut in the beginning, it will burn)

Okra is quick to make. It shouldn’t take more than 15-20 minutes in the oven. In the meanwhile, you can boil rice and make kadhi. In 30 minutes you have a base meal! Who said cooking was laborious?

HOW TO BOIL RICE WITHOUT MAKING IT MUSHY OR STICKY

Buy best quality basmati. It is fragrant and tasty. And light and easily digestible by all body types.

If you are cooking small amounts, let say less than 2 litres of rice, the thumb rule is: 2 portions liquid to every portion of rice. It usually works well. For bigger amounts, less liquid is added per portion.

In the well educated cooking circles rice is not considered edible for humans if no butter or ghee is added to it! They draw out the aroma. The best way to cook rice is to sauté it in a small amount of ghee before adding liquid.  It requires rice to be washed and dried beforehand. Wet rice will set on fireworks when coming in contact with hot ghee. It is dangerous! When placed in hot ghee, rice will turn translucent, hard and white. The idea is not to brown or char it, but to quickly let it absorb the ghee. It will help the grains remain separate and result in fluffy, airy rice.

If you don’t want to mess up with the end result, add boiling water instead of cold water. Once you have added the water, add salt, mix quickly, turn the stove to a low temperature and let the rice simmer for 20 minutes without disturbing, with a lid on!  Don’t sniff or peek in. Definitely don’t stir and shake the pot. It will be ready when it is ready. Cooking rice is very zen!

When it is ready, you may squeeze a half of lemon in and let it stand 10 more minutes. It should be perfect.

KADHI (Yoghurt soup)

5 dl water
2 dl coconut cream
5 dl yoghurt
½ dl chickpea flour
1 ts turmeric
1-2 ts cayenne
2 ts dry roasted, ground fenugreek
1 tbs raw sugar or jaggery

Tempering:
Ghee or oil
Thumb-size piece of ginger, grated and juice pressed out
1 ts mustard seeds
A pinch of hing
1 ts black pepper
10-20 curry leaves
Salt to taste

Bring water and coconut cream into boil
Mix yoghurt with chickpea flour, powdered spices and sugar
Add mixture into the boiling water
Whisk well
Turn down the temperature
Let it simmer for about 20 minutes until it has become thicker, rich soup
Heat up ghee or oil
Add grated ginger and let it become light golden colour, you will have to move it with spatula, otherwise it won’t brown evenly
Add mustard seeds
When they are cracking and popping, add hing, black pepper and curry leaves
A few seconds later, pour the spices into the soup and mix well
Add  the ginger juice and salt to taste

By adding more or less chickpea flour / water you can regulate the thickness of the sauce.

You can substitute cayenne with fresh chilies. In doing so, add them while tempering ginger.