Okra rice/Vendakkai sadam

Whenever I go to the grocery store to buy vegetables my eyes automatically starts to roam around in search of okra, as okra is one of my favorite vegetable. I usually make a curry, kootu, fry, more kuzhambu or sambar using okra but this time I wanted to make something different, so decided to make okra rice in my own style. 

                                 

Nutrition value of the okra 

1. High in fiber
2. Vitamin C
3. Folate
4. It has a high content of antioxidant.
5. Good source of calcium and potassium. 

Ingredients 

Okra/vendakkai (cut into medium size)	1 lb
Onion (thin sliced)	1
Tomato ( fine chopped)	2
Basmati rice	1 ½ cup
Ginger garlic paste	1 tbsp
Red chilli powder	2 ½ tsp
Coriander powder	1 tsp
Turmeric powder	¼ tsp
Garam masala	1 tsp
Salt	As needed
Cilantro (fine chopped)	2tbsp
Oil : ghee	1:1tbsp

Method

Okra rice should be done in 3 steps.

Step: 1

• Soak the basmati rice for 10-15 mins. Meanwhile boil water for cooking the basmati rice.
• Once the water starts to boil, add salt to it and then add the soaked basmati rice. Cook until the rice boils nicely. 
• When it starts to boil stop the flame and close the rice with the lid. Keep it aside for 10 mins. 
• In the boiling water itself the rice will be cooked. After 10 mins drain the water from the rice completely. 
• Then keep it aside.

Step: 2

• In a skillet heat oil and add turmeric. When it starts to bubble add the okra to it and give a quick stir, wait for 5 mins.
• Now add salt, 1 tsp of chilli powder and stir fry it with any equal interval until the okra are fried completely.

                              

Step: 3

• In another kadai add oil:ghee wait till it gets hot, then add onion fry till it turns light golden brown color.
• When onion turns color add ginger garlic paste, fry in medium flame until raw smell goes.
• Then add tomato, along with it add salt, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and coriander powder mix well till the masala blends with tomato and onion. Wait until the tomato mushy and oozes out oil from the masala.
• Now add cooked rice to it and mix it well. Wait until the masala gets absorbed by the rice. 

                                 

• When masala coats with the rice nicely, add the fried okra to it and give it a quick stir. 
• Finally add chopped cilantro to it. Now hot and yummy okra rice is ready to be served.

                              

• Serve it hot with chips, any raita or it goes well with plain yogurt.  

                              

Tips

• Choose the okra young while buying( how to find its young? if you break the tail end of the okra it should break crispy).
• Don't cut the okra into thin slice, cut it into medium size. Because when you cook okra it should not break.
• Remember the okra should be cooked completely before adding it into the rice mixture.  
• You can also avoid first step and directly cook the basmati rice along with the masala itself.

                               

Check out our other rice recipe also cilantro-lime-rice

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