Vendakkai Poriyal Recipe | Ladies Finger Poriyal

Vendakkai Poriyal also known as Ladies Finger poriyal or vendakkai fry made with step by step pictures. Healthy and easy to make ladies finger poriyal taste amazing with rice, kuzhambu or roti. In this blog post, I have shared 2 ways of making vendakkai poriyal and tips to remove sliminess from okra. Learn how to make vendakkai fry with step by step pictures and video.

Vendakkai fry

We make this poriyal at least once in a week either with sambar or any spicy gravy. The vegetable themselves have lots of nutrients in it, which seriously helps to improve your memory power. So it is great for kids. Some mothers even give their kids raw lady finger, I have no idea how they will eat it, but they do have it raw(I have seen that in real). If your kids enjoy okra raw, you can give them happily or else please give them like this, they will definitely love it.

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In the blog post, I am sharing two ways of cooking ladies finger. I have made a simple poriyal and a version which has garlic and onions added. You can make whichever you prefer, both taste amazing.

About Vendakkai Poriyal

Ladies finger is also called as “Vendakkai” in Tamil; “Okra” in some places and “bhindi” in Hindi. This humble nutritious vegetable can be cooked many different ways. Some of the most popular recipes are this aloo bhindi, bhindi bhataka, vendakkai moru curry and vendakkai kara Kuzhambu.

Vendakkai poriyal is a simple dry dish or curry often made in South of India to serve with rice and Kuzhambu. This is a dry dish which can be made two different ways, one with onions or without onions. I personally make the simple version for my kids. And I make it with garlic and onions when I cook it for me.

When picking ladies finger try to choose tender ones. Young and tender ladies finger tends to have better taste and it cooks faster. Traditional people tends to break the ends of the ladies finger to check the tenderness. If the ends snap easily then the okra is good enough.

Most people hate bhindi because it tends to yield a slimy texture as they cook, I have shared my tips and tricks to remove the slimy texture from the Poriyal easily which will be helpful for many.

Similar Recipes,

Eggplant Fry

Potato Poriyal

Carrot Poriyal

Vendakkai Poriyal Ingredients

Ladies finger – when picking ladies finger, choose young ones. Tender and young bhindi cooks faster and taste better.

Curd – a spoonful of curd helps remove the slimy texture from the ladies finger poriyal easily. It also makes them taste better.

Spices – I used mustard seeds as tempering, you can add a pinch of cumin seeds too.

Oil – you can use refined oil or coconut oil as you prefer.

Optional – optionally you can add onions, garlic, dry red chillies in the Poriyal for more flavour and taste.

Tips for removing slimy texture from ladies finger

I love lady finger, but some people avoid due to its slimy nature. I was in the same category until I heard this trick from my perimma. She told me to add curd in lady finger when cooking them. It may sound weird to you, but believe me it really really works. I was totally surprised at my first try.

So when you are making this Poriyal. Add a spoon of curd into the ladies finger. It removes the slimy texture within few minutes and the vegetable cooks faster too. For some reason curd makes the ladies finger poriyal taste better.

Tips for vendakkai poriyal

Choosing bhindi – When picking ladies finger try to choose tender ones. Young and tender ladies finger tends to have better taste and it cooks faster. Traditional people tends to break the ends of the ladies finger to check the tenderness. If the ends snap easily then the okra is good enough.

Salt in the end – whenever you are cooking bhindi, add salt in the end of the cooking. Since bhindi tends to shrink as they cook, it is better to season them in the end so you don’t end up adding too much salt.

Right pan – choose a wide pan, large skillet or frying pan is best. Bigger the pan, more crispy it gets.

How to Make Vendakkai Poriyal (Stepwise Pictures)

1)Heat oil in a nonstick pan. Add in mustard seeds and let them sizzle.

2)Add in sliced ladies finger in the oil and let them fry for few minutes.

3)Now add in a spoon of curd into the ladies finger. This curd helps remove the slimy texture from the ladies finger.

4)Mix the curd into the okra and saute them on high heat.

5)Let them get brown and caramelized. The curd will remove the slimy texture from the ladies finger.

6)Once the sliminess is gone from the ladies finger. Add in salt and chilli powder.

7)Toss it well with the ladies finger. Cook this for 2 minutes.

8)Take it off the heat and enjoy with rice or roti.

Variations

Ladies Finger Pepper Poriyal Recipe is also known as vendakkai milagu poriyal not only taste amazing with plain rice, you can enjoy it with roti as well. This is one of the easiest side dish you can make.

This variation of ladies finger poriyal has added garlic, dry red chillies and onions. It has black pepper powder added instead of chilli powder. I didn’t use curd in this version.

Ingredients

2 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
4 cloves garlic crushed
2 dry red chillies
1 medium onion sliced
10 ladies finger sliced
salt to taste
black pepper powder to taste

How to Make Ladies Finger Pepper Poriyal

1)Heat oil in a kadai. I like to use a wide kadai so you have more room to toss the ladies finger. Add in mustard seeds and let them sizzle.

2)Add in crushed garlic and dry red chillies. Let them get golden.

3)Add in sliced onions and cook that for few minutes.

4)Now onions has turned slightly pink in colour.

5)Add in ladies finger and cook them on high heat.

6)Keep tossing them for few minutes until it starts to cook and get golden.

7)Now the ladies finger has cooked down.

8)Add in black pepper powder and mix well.

9)Sprinkle with salt and mix well.

10)Toss that really well with the ladies finger.

11)Ladies finger pepper poriyal is ready to enjoy.

Expert Tips

Choose young, tender bhindi which is fresh and green looking. You can also use red ladies finger which are available now.
For spice, you can use chilli powder or pepper powder.
Use a wide pan when cooking bhindi, which cooks faster and evenly,
You can use any oil or choice, coconut oil adds best flavour.

Serving and Storage

You can enjoy vendakkai poriyal with any Kuzhambu of choice. Leftovers can be stored in fridge for up to 4 days and reheated in a pan for few minutes until hot.

FAQ

1)How to remove slimy texture from ladies finger?

when you are making vendakkai Poriyal. Add a spoon of curd into the ladies finger. It removes the slimy texture within few minutes and the vegetable cooks faster too. For some reason curd makes the ladies finger poriyal taste better.

More Poriyal Recipes to Try

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