Vendakka Kichadi (Kerala Style Ladies Finger with Spiced Yogurt)

Lady’s finger/Okra/Bhindi fried and cooked in spicy coconut and yogurt based gravy. It’s an easy to prepare and a yummy side dish which goes well with rice

3.89 from 9 votes

Vendakka Kichadi (Kerala Style Ladies Finger with Spiced Yogurt)

Lady’s finger fried and cooked in spicy coconut and yogurt based gravy. It’s an easy to prepare and a yummy side dish which goes well with rice. One of the must side dishes for Kerala Sadhya which is popular during festivals Onam and Vishu.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Indian, kerala

Servings: serving

Calories: 212kcal

Author: Jane Jojo

Ingredients

2 cups Lady's finger (sliced or 8 medium sized okra)
salt

Grind

½ cup grated coconut
4 number green chilli
1 pinch mustard seed
¼ teaspoon jeera
¾ cup curd
salt

Seasoning

1 teaspoon mustard seed
3 number Dried Red Chilly
1 Sprig curry leaves

Instructions

Heat 2 tbsps oil in a pan. Add sliced lady’s finger into the pan. Make sure that okra is not overcrowded in the pan. Sprinkle salt. Fry on medium high flame until okra is slightly brown at the edges. Add extra oil if needed. Stir it continuously. Once fried, transfer it to a bowl.
Grind coconut, green chilli, mustard seeds, jeera with some water into a smooth paste. If you are using frozen or refrigerated coconut (and not freshly grated one), grind with lukewarm water to get the fine paste.
Add curd at the end and just pulse it in the mixer. Add sufficient salt.
Heat a pan, add the grinded mixture and heat it. Don't allow it to boil. It should be just heated. Add fried lady’s finger and mix it.
For seasoning - Splutter mustard seeds. When they crackle, add dried red chilli and curry leaves.

Notes

1. Dry the okra well
Okra is naturally slimy. If it’s not dried properly before frying, it becomes harder to handle and cook evenly.

2. Don’t overgrind the coconut
Keep the coconut slightly grainy. It gives better flavour and texture.

3. Adjust consistency
If you like the ladies' finger kichadi slightly thick, use less water while grinding. For a looser version, add a little water to the coconut paste.

4. Let things cool
Always let the fried okra cool before mixing. Also, allow the tempering to rest for a minute before pouring it in. Adding too much heat can cause the yogurt to split or alter its texture.

Nutrition