Okra and Tomatoes Baked Dish

Few weeks back, we three went to our usual bookstore called "Barnes and Noble". We do visit other book stores too like "Borders". But apart from our choice, my son loves to visit B&N. Because, he has got lot of freedom over there, to choose his own books, irrespective of choice, size and language. Any book which appeals to the eyes my darling 18 months old son, is his choice. He gets freedom there, which his mom, i.e., me don'nt give at home, by restricting him from touching many things:-)) I think, this happens to all those poor toddlers, for whom, home is very little place to explore new things and do trial & error. Ending this mother and son, daily story and switching back to the world of food, I was going through some cook book for diabetics. I really don'nt remember the author, since I was just giving a glance, I found some recipes in that book, of which most of them are baked one's. Since, it has less oil, less cholesterol and all suitable for diabetics. Now a days it has become a big problem. Because other than family history of diabetics, it can attack to any body irrespective of age bar, say from 10 yr old to 90 yr old. So, it has become necessary to take lot of precautions for our good health. In that perticular book I found this simple recipe of Okra ("Bendakaaya" or "Lady Finger" or "Bendhi"). I even don'nt remember the ingredients, the author mentioned. So, I just added my flavours to it. It is easy to cook and you need to use your hands almost "No"!! Since, it is a baked dish. And this is my entry to the Saffron Trail's WBB#7 Baking For BreakFast! As our friend Nandita said "Explore baking with any thing like sweet, Savoury, Spicy etc...". My okra Bake comes under Spicy options. This goes best in breakfast with chapathis or parathas, also easy and fast to prepare for busy morning:-) So lets go to the recipe....

Ingredients:
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1 lb Okra (Bendakaaya)
2 medium sized Tomatoes
1 big Onion
1 to 2 tsp Chilli powder
1 tsp Coriander powder
1tsp Turmeric powder
Salt as per required
oil (use low cholesterol spray oil ) I use palm spray oil


Method:
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1. Wash, top and trail the okra, cut into 1cm in pieces.
2. Cut tomatoes and onions into small pieces.
   
3. Mix all ingredients and keep in the baking sheet, spray oil from the top as shown above.
4. Preheat oven for 10 to 15 minutes on 350 F.
   
5. Bake for 1/2 hr to 40 minutes on 350F, until okra and tomatoes are cooked well.
6. Stir in between to avoid burning.
7. Serve hot with chapathis.

Note: The day I baked this dish, from then onwards when ever I get okra, I bake it. Every time I bake this dish, my son & my husband have it, almost, before I serve chapathis. They taste great as it is and can be served as side dish too.

My Variations: You can add other masala or spices to this dish. Onions are optional. I baked okra once with onions and once without onions. Both were yummy and little crispy.

Labels: bake, bendakaaya kura, bendi, okra, okra bake, vegetable, vegetable dishes

Posted by Meena Kandlakuti at 2:13 PM | Permalink | Comments

This dish when I gave a try and was having it as Arjuna said really I remembered marriage events of not only mine , but all of them where I have eaten this dish., though I don'nt remember exactly place, name and who's marriage it was.....;-) Friends do try this one its very tasty..though it does'nt look exactly as Arjuna's photo...I hope the taste was same:-) The recipe for this is here. In my dish bendakaaya looks more than pakodi unlike Arjuna's and also pakodi became little soft which actually taste good when they are crispy..so add them at the end of cooking to the bendaakaya and just fry for few seconds as they are already deep fried pakodi's.

Carrot Kheer

This thick creamy kheer was really tempting and was handy..that is the reason I tried it too soon, but with little variations in ingrendients and method..though not much.

Ingredients:

2 long carrots

2 to 3 tsp sugar

1 1/2 cup whole milk

1/4 cup water

2 tsp ghee

2 cardamom (make powder)

2 to 3 saffron sticks (for color and aroma)

few badaam and kaaju (dry fruits..can take any of your choice)

Method:

1. Peel the carrot skin and wash them and grate them to very fine, best recommended is in food processor( If food processor is not there, can use hand grater too)
2. In a deep skillet, add two tea spoons ghee and heat it. Then add grated carrots and fry till raw smell dissappears.
3. Add sugar to that and fry for 1 to 2 min.
4. Mean while make paste or tiny granules of dry fruits.
5. Now add this paste and fry for 1 or 2 more minutes.
6. Finally, add milk and water mentioned in the ingredients to this mix and allow to boil.
7. Once it starts boiling add cardamom powder to it and allow to boil for 2 to 3 minutes.
8. Remove from heat, allow to cool it to the room temperature.
9. Now blend this total mixture in the blender for 1 to 2 minutes..so that it becomes more thicky and creamy. Add saffron to the kheer.
10. The thick, creamy and flavored carrot kheer is ready to serve.

Note: Serve this warm or cold, I liked it both the ways!!

Actual version of this Carrot Kheer is here. Mandira..thank you so much for sharing such a wonderful recipe and also to the Arjuna. Though I made thease two dishes at different times..I think they go very well when served one after the other. I prefer hot first then sweet later..you can alter anyways:-)) Enjoy thease wonderful recipes. I will try to blog the other recipes of my fellow bloggers in the future when ever I give a try.

Labels: bendakaaya kura, bendakaaya vepudu, bendi, bendi fry, carrot kheer, carrots, desserts, kheer, sweets

Posted by Meena Kandlakuti at 12:11 PM | Permalink | Comments