Dry Okra Fry - Bandakka Thelata

Okay, I know this is definitely going to be a polarising one -- simply because okra (or in my favourite iteration of the name, ladies fingers!) is the slimiest vegetable known to mankind and a lot of people have been traumatised by their parents trying to force okra down their throats as children. So this is for those who are yet to find any appeal in okra. I promise you this has little to no slime at all, this is incredibly simple to do, and as long as you follow a few simple tricks, I can guarantee you slim-free, delicious okra every single time.

A few tips to avoid the slime, before we begin

Cut: Cut the okra on an angle/diagonal and into thick slices. This ensures more surface area. which means the slime will evaporate quicker

Tomatoes: Adding tomatoes is optional however this is a fantastic way to not only freshen up the dish -- the pH change by the acetic acid in the tomatoes makes the slime of the okra much less viscous.

Utensil: You need to arm yourself with a wide frying pan with a heavy bottom. A wide pan that conducts heat well will heat up to a good temperature and allow for water (hence, slime) to evaporate quickly.

Oil: This recipe relies on using a decent amount of oil to fry off the okra in. You can lessen the amount but bear in mind the sliminess is reduced due to the okra crisping up in the oil.

And with all that said, away we go!

Ingredients

• 250g okra, sliced on a diagonal

• 1 large red or pink onion, sliced

• 3-5 cloves of garlic, sliced

• 1/2 tsp of ginger, chopped finely (paste is also fine)

• 1-2 sprigs of curry leaves

• 2cm-3cm piece of pandan leaf

• 1 large green chilie slices (about 1.5 tbs worth)

• 1 medium chopped tomato (optional)

• 2cm,-3cm piece of cinnamon bark

• 2 tsp tumeric

• 3 tso cumin powder

• 3 tsp unroasted Sr Lankan curry powder

• 3 tsp chili flakes

• 1 tsp ground black pepper

• 2 tsp umbalakada or Maldive fish flakes (optional)

• 2 tsp soy sauce

• 3 tbs oil

• Salt to taste

Method

Add the okra, curry leaves, onion, garlic, ginger, green chilie, pandan, cinnamon and tomato into a large, wide frying pan. Add oil and a pinch of salt and turn heat on high

Fry this for about 2 minutes until the okra is covered in the oil, and add in the dry spices such as the curry powder, tumeric, cumin and black pepper. Allow this to fry for about 2-3 mins as well.

Once the spices are cooked out, add in the chilie flakes. Continue to cook the okra on a high heat, constantly moving it around the pan to help the slime evaporate

Turn the heat down to a medium after about 4 minutes of cooking and add in the soy sauce and Maldive fish flakes if using. The okra is ready once the slime residue has disappeared and a fine sheen of oil coats the okra without beautiful green colour being lost. Take off heat at this stage.

And that is that! How easy is that! Best served with rice and a nice dhal curry, below are some my favourite combinations with okra!

I am genuinely so excited to see you guys try this out and to hear about the successes and hopefully I might even have some converts to okra! In any case this is a lovely vegetarian/vegan addition to any meal.

Sav xx