Vendakka Pachadi / Okra raitha / Bhindi Raitha

This is a very easy recipe which uses okra. Okra is a popular vegetable rich in dietary fiber. It contains Vitamin A, C, K and antioxidants. It is a good source of folates. It is low in calories. Helps in controlling cholesterol. 

Preparation: 

•  Wash and dry the okra using a clean towel. 
• Slit each okra into four lengthwise. Then chop it into small pieces. 
• Cut the green chilly into 2 or 3 pieces. 
• Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds, whole dry red chilly and curry leaves. When the mustards start spluttering add the okra and fry it. Stir continuously, on medium - low flame.
• When the gooeyness disappears, add 2 - 3 pinches salt and the green chilly pieces. Fry until crisp on low flame, so the green color remains intact. 
• Remove from flame and allow to cool. 
• Beat/ whip the curd/yogurt lightly. Add salt to taste. 
• Add the fried okra into the curd and mix well. 
• Serve as a side dish with rice. 

Ingredients: 

Okra - 12 - 15 nos.

Curd/ Yogurt - 3/4 - 1 cup 

Green chilly - 1 - 2 nos.

Salt 

For seasoning: 

Oil -1 - 11/2 tablespoons 

Mustard seeds - 1/4 teaspoon 

Dry Red chilly - 1 (broken into 2 or 3 pieces) 

Curry leaves - a few 

Pineapple Kesari

Kesari is a sweet semolina dish, popular in India. In the South it is Kesari and in the North it is called Halwa. A very easy dish. Here it is done with a twist, a pineapple twist. I prepared the dish during Navarathri.

Preparation: 

• Chop the pineapple into small pieces.
• Cook the pineapple pieces in water for 5 minutes on medium flame. Add a pinch of yellow food color and bring to a boil. 
• Meanwhile fry the cashew nuts and raisins in 2 teaspoons ghee, one after the other, separately. Remove the nuts and raisins from ghee and keep aside. 
• Add the semolina to the same pan and fry it in the remaining little ghee. The color of the semolina must not change. Stir continuously on medium heat for 2 - 3 minutes. 
• When the semolina is roasted, carefully add the boiling pineapple water mix. On a low flame, stir continuously so that no lumps are formed. 
• Add the sugar and stir. Again the mixture will become gooey.  
• Add 2 tablespoons of ghee and keep stirring until the mixture becomes thick. Add 2 teaspoons of ghee and transfer to another vessel.
• Garnish with fried raisins and nuts and a few strands of saffron (optional). 
• Serve hot or warm.
• Note : Add sugar only after the semolina is cooked. 

Ingredients: 

Semolina/Rava - 1/2 cup 

Pineapple - 1/3 cup, chopped 

Sugar - 3/4 cup 

Water - 11/2 cups 

Yellow food color - a pinch 

Ghee  - 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons 

Cashew nuts - 1/2 tablespoon, chopped finely 

Raisins - 2 tablespoons 

Ghee - 1/2 tablespoon for frying the nuts and raisins