For those of you who picked up okra from the trade box this week, here's an adventurous dish to try.
1/2 lb fresh okra- rinsed and thoroughly dried, 4 inches or less tbsp. 2 tbsp oil (vegetable, canola, safflower, or grapeseed work well) 1 tsp black or yellow mustard seeds 1 tbsp split skinned black lentils 15-20 medium sized curry leaves 1 tsp tamarind paste 1 tsp sambhar masala 1/4 tsp tumeric salt to taste
Trim the caps off the okra and cut the pods into 1/2 inch-thick roundels. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mustard seeds and cover the skillet. Cook until seeds have stopped popping, about 30 seconds. Add the lentils and stir-fry until they turn golden brown in colour, about 15 to 20 seconds. Now, immediately add the okra and curry leaves. Lower the heat to medium and stir-fry for about 15 minutes. Whisk the tamarind paste into 1/2 cup water, and pour this tart tamarind water over the okra. Add the salt, sambhar masala and turmeric powder. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover the skillet and cook till done, about 10-15 minutes. Stir occasionally. Serve with roti.
recipe from mysaffronkitchen.com