Sunday, April 29, 2012

Tomato-Okra Raita/Thakkali-Vendaikai Thayir Pachadi

Thayir Pachadi or Raita is a Definite Menu in a Festive Spread in every South-indian Home. It is served as an Accompaniment to the Vadai/Lentil Snack part of the Spread.  Mostly because Vadai/Lentil Snack taste awesome when served hot, but when it is cold, it gets somewhat dry and definitely needs a spicy dip to push it down the throat. 
Raita/Thayir Pachdi is easy to make and taste great with the mild spices in it. Amma used to make a large quantity of this coz, we three siblings used to have it with Curd Rice too. These 7 days Menu had a lot of Bhindi/Okra Recipe, i used it often, since it is easy to make anything out of it. This Raita or Thayir Pachadi is yet another recipe to prove the versatility of this slimy Vegetable.
This recipe can be made using Brinjal/Tomato/Ash gourd/Cucumber also.

Ingredients
8-10 Okra's/Lady's finger/Bhindi or any of the above given veggie.
1 Cup yoghurt, Whisked
1 small tomato 
Salt to taste

Tempering
1-2 tsp Oil
1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds/Kadugu
a sprig of curry leaf
3 nos green chilies, slited lengthwise
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
hing a pinch

Method
  • Wash and Pat dry the Okra's/Lady's finger with Kitchen Towel. Trim the head and tail and cut them into 1 inch pieces.
  • Heat a tsp of oil in a Non-stick pan, and Saute the Lady's finger in a low flame until it is cooked. The rawness of the vegetable must escape completely and it should be roasted on all the sides. This is will take about 10-12 minutes. Once done, Take it off the flame and Drain it on a kitchen towel.
  • Heat another tsp of oil in the same pan, splutter mustard seeds, add green chilies and saute, add hing, turmeric and curry leaf, saute everything for a minute or two.
  • Add chopped tomatoes and cook till it turns mushy and oil separates, add the sauteed okra's/Lady's Finger to this and mix well, sprinkle little salt for the veggies.Switch off the stove.
  • In a Deep Bowl, add yogurt and salt needed for the yogurt and whisk well. Add the sauteed okra-tomato mixture to this and mix well. Chill until served. Serve as a Dip.