Bharwan Bhindi (Ladies finger)

A couple of months ago we were invited for dinner by a friend. It was at this dinner that i tasted this dish for the first time. Coming from a south indian family bhindi or Vendakay or ladies finger was a part of our diet on a very regular basis. There is a belief that bhindhi or vendakay as we call it, is very good for the growth of the brain. So invariably the grand mothers and mothers would include more of it in any growing child's diet. you could have Vendakay Curry, Vendakay Roast, Vendakay Sambhar and so on.

The Vendakay Curry was a simple and the most easy dish to make. All you had to do was to wash the Vegetable in water and dry it. Slice it into small pieces. Add oil in a kadhai and when hot add some Mustard seeds, Urad Dhal and Red chillies (as it suits your taste). Add the vegetables mix well and cook with the lid on for a few minutes. Once the vendakay becomes soft then add salt and cook for some more time and serve hot. The variations you could do is to add besan powder to make it crisp, add peanuts, add onions along with vendakay and so on.

This childhood practice continues and this dish interested me a lot. But Bharwan what did it mean? for which i was told by my hostess that it meant stuffed. Jeera powder had been stuffed into the vegetable. But to make it simple she had just added the jeera powder to the dish as a whole and not stuffed it. The taste was great and it was simple. Check out the receipe:

Ingredients

Bhindi - 1/2 kg (washed & cut into 1" pieces with a slit)
Onions - 3 big (grated)
Garlic - 5 - 6 (grated, you can increase the number based on your taste)
Roasted Jeera Powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Mustard Oil for frying

Method

In a kadhai (preferably non-stick) heat the mustard oil nicely till the smell goes away. Add the grated onion, garlic and turmeric and fry till they have crossed the transluscent stage. Then add the Bhindi and mix well. Keep covered on fire till the vegetable becomes soft and is fully cooked. Then add the salt and the jeera powder. Mix well over the flame without closing the lid for 3 - 4 minutes. Serve hot.

Note: The other tip which my hostess gave me was to use mustard oil for cooking green vegetables this gives a good flavor for the dish.