I had spent really lot of time in the kitchen preparing Diwali sweets for the past few days. So, I wanted to make a simple but a wholesome meal for lunch.

Today’s lunch menu was Crispy Okra lentil Rice served with raita. Okra is known as vendakai in Tamil and bhindi in Hindi.
This is my own recipe. It really came out well and my kids really liked it:)

Ingredients

Cooked rice – 6 cups
Chana dal ( Bengal gram/ kadala paruppu)- 3/4th cup
Okra ( bhindi/ vendakai)- 250 gms
Oil – as much required for deep frying the okra

Oil – 1 tbsp
Mustard – 1 tsp
Cumin seeds ( jeera) – 1/2 tsp
Cashew nuts – 1 tbsp
Hing ( asafoetida/ perungayam)- 1/4th tsp
Curry leaves – few
Onion – 2
Tomato – 3

Red chilli powder – 1+1/2 tsps
Coriander powder ( dhania)- 2 tsps
Cumin powder ( jeera)- 1 tsp
Dry mango powder ( amchur ) – 1 tsp
Turmeric powder ( haldi/ manja podi)- 1/4th tsp
Salt to taste

Method

Wash and soak Chana dal for 30 mins. Drain it, add fresh water and pressure cook for 2-3 whistles. Drain the dal and keep it aside.

Peel, wash and slice onions.
Wash and slice the tomatoes.
Wash , dry it with a clean kitchen towel and cut the okra into 1 inch pieces.

Deep fry the okra till it turns crispy. Drain the excess oil and keep it aside.

Heat a tbsp of oil in a pan. Add mustard. When it starts spluttering, add cumin seeds, cashew nuts, hing and curry leaves. Sauté for few seconds and then add the onions.

Sauté till the onions turn pink. Add the tomatoes and sauté for few mins. Now add the red chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, dry mango powder, turmeric and salt to taste. Mix and add little water. Cook till the tomatoes become soft.

Add the cooked dal and rice and mix gently. Check for the seasonings. Sauté for few mins and add the crisp okra. Mix gently.

Serve the rice hot with any raita and papad/ chips:)