Bendakaya Pulusu (Okra Tangy Gravy) with Tomato Rasam

Name: Bendakaya Pulusu (Okra Tangy Gravy) with Tomato Rasam
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Ingredients: 200 g Okra, washed and cut into 1-inch pieces; 100 g Onion, finely chopped; 100 g Tomato, finely chopped; 20 g Tamarind, soaked in 100 ml warm water for pulp; 1 tsp Green Chili, slit (1-2); 5 g Ginger-Garlic Paste (1 tsp); 30 ml Cooking Oil (2 tbsp); 2 g Mustard Seeds (1/2 tsp); 2 g Cumin Seeds (1/2 tsp); 2 g Curry Leaves (1 sprig); 1 tsp Turmeric Powder (1/4 tsp); 1 tsp Red Chili Powder (1 tsp); 4 g Coriander Powder (1 tsp); 5 g Jaggery or Sugar (1 tsp, optional, to balance taste); Salt to taste; 200 ml Water; 30 g Toor Dal (split pigeon peas), pressure cooked until soft and mashed; 200 g Tomatoes, roughly chopped (2 medium); 10 g Tamarind, soaked in 50 ml warm water for pulp; 8 g Rasam Powder (1 tbsp); 1 tsp Green Chili, slit (1); 5 g Garlic, crushed (2 cloves); 5 g Coriander Leaves, chopped (2 tbsp); 15 ml Cooking Oil or Ghee (1 tbsp); 2 g Mustard Seeds (1/2 tsp); 2 g Cumin Seeds (1/2 tsp); 2 g Curry Leaves (1 sprig); Pinch of Asafoetida (Hing); Salt to taste; 300 ml Water

⏱️ 15m Prep🔥 30m Cook

Primary Dish

Bendakaya Pulusu (Okra Tangy Gravy)

Ingredients

• 200 g Okra, washed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 100 g Onion, finely chopped
• 100 g Tomato, finely chopped
• 20 g Tamarind, soaked in 100 ml warm water for pulp
• 1 tsp Green Chili, slit (1-2)
• 5 g Ginger-Garlic Paste (1 tsp)
• 30 ml Cooking Oil (2 tbsp)
• 2 g Mustard Seeds (1/2 tsp)
• 2 g Cumin Seeds (1/2 tsp)
• 2 g Curry Leaves (1 sprig)
• 1 tsp Turmeric Powder (1/4 tsp)
• 1 tsp Red Chili Powder (1 tsp)
• 4 g Coriander Powder (1 tsp)
• 5 g Jaggery or Sugar (1 tsp, optional, to balance taste)
• Salt to taste
• 200 ml Water

Cooking Steps

Wash and chop okra, onion, tomato, and green chili. Prepare tamarind pulp by squeezing and straining the soaked tamarind.

Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and curry leaves. Let them splutter.

Add chopped onion and green chili. Sauté until onions are translucent.

Add ginger-garlic paste and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.

Add chopped tomatoes and cook until soft and mushy (about 3-4 minutes).

Add chopped okra and sauté for 5 minutes until it starts to lose its sliminess.

Stir in turmeric powder, red chili powder, and coriander powder. Sauté for 1 minute.

Pour in the tamarind pulp, 200 ml water, jaggery (if using), and salt. Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer for 10-12 minutes, allowing the okra to cook through and the gravy to thicken slightly. Serve hot.

The Perfect Pairing

Tomato Rasam

Ingredients

• 30 g Toor Dal (split pigeon peas), pressure cooked until soft and mashed
• 200 g Tomatoes, roughly chopped (2 medium)
• 10 g Tamarind, soaked in 50 ml warm water for pulp
• 8 g Rasam Powder (1 tbsp)
• 1 tsp Green Chili, slit (1)
• 5 g Garlic, crushed (2 cloves)
• 5 g Coriander Leaves, chopped (2 tbsp)
• 15 ml Cooking Oil or Ghee (1 tbsp)
• 2 g Mustard Seeds (1/2 tsp)
• 2 g Cumin Seeds (1/2 tsp)
• 2 g Curry Leaves (1 sprig)
• Pinch of Asafoetida (Hing)
• Salt to taste
• 300 ml Water

Cooking Steps

Pressure cook toor dal until very soft. Mash it well. Set aside.

In a blender, make a coarse paste of roughly chopped tomatoes. Extract tamarind pulp.

Heat oil/ghee in a pan. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves, and asafoetida. Let them splutter.

Add crushed garlic and green chili. Sauté for 30 seconds.

Add the tomato paste and sauté for 2-3 minutes until the raw smell goes away.

Pour in the tamarind pulp, mashed toor dal, rasam powder, 300 ml water, and salt.

Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5-7 minutes, until frothy. Do not over-boil.

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot.