Dry Fried Ladies Fingers/Okra

I don't know why it is called ladies fingers. I wouldn't want my fingers to look like them, but it is what it is. Also known as okra, it is touted as a superfood for it is rich with magnesium and vitamin C and fibre etc. Pregnant women are encouraged to eat okra for the folate, and it is also recommended to manage diabetes and heart conditions but I am thinking you need to eat it pretty frequently for it to be effective.

Also, the way it is over cooked in Indian recipes, probably kills whatever properties it supposedly carries but who cares, it taste great if cooked right. By that I mean, you do need to either fry it or overcook it to get rid of the slime.

So here's a great little additional to a simple vegetarian meal.

Ingredients:

1 packet of okra (250gm), slice thinly

1 small onion - chop

3-4 pips garlic - chop

1.5 tbsp ghee

1 tsp mustard seeds

4 dried chilli broken in half

1 tsp chilli powder

1 tsp Jaffna curry powder

1/4 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

salt to taste

Method:

1. Heat 1 tbsp ghee and when it is hot put in the mustard seeds until it splutters.

2. Add the garlic and onions and fry till translucent.

3. Add the dried chilli, and then the okra.

4. Stir fry for a bit before adding the chilli powder, Jaffna curry powder and pepper.

5. Continue to fry, making sure that it doesn't burn and until there's no more slime.

6. It should be pretty dry by now, add salt to taste and when you are satisfied that it is dry enough, turn off the heat and add the turmeric.

7. Add the balance half tbsp of ghee, give it a quick stir and you're done.