Okra Buttermilk Curry

This is a mild curry that's great with rice and/or rotis.


Okra Buttermilk Curry

200 g Okra
500 g Yogurt
1/2 tsp Turmeric
50 ml Oil
1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds
1/4 tsp Fenugreek Seeds
4 Red Chillies
2 sprigs Curry Leaves
2 Onions, sliced
2 Green Chillies, cut lengthwise
Salt, to taste
1 tbsp Coconut Oil

Cut the okra into 1.5 cm long pieces. Whip curd with turmeric and keep aside.

Heat oil and season with mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, red chillies and curry leaves. When the mustard seeds pop, add the onions and green chillies. Saute well.

Add the okra and fry well. Finally add the whipped yogurt, salt to taste and simmer on low heat.

Puli Kuzhambu

This is a very common south Indian curry, made with a base of tangy tamarind and a vegetable and/or onions. Its very popular and most often served with rice.


Vendakkai Puli Kuzhmabu
(Okra in a tamarind-based curry)

1 tbsp Red Chilli Powder
2 tbsp Coriander Powder
1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
1/4 tsp Fenugreek Seeds
6 cloves Garlic, chopped
6 shallots, cut in half
1 Tomato, chopped
Gingelly Oil
1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds
3-4 Curry Leaves
2 g Okra, cleaned
1/2 tbsp Tamarind Concentrate dissolved in water OR 1 cup tamarind water
Salt, to taste
1/2 tbsp Sugar

Heat the gingelly oil and add the mustard seeds, curry leaves, fenugreek and garlic. When brown, add the shallots and saute till the onions are a little yellow. Add the okra and fry for a few minutes.

Add the tomato and saute again for a few minutes. Now add the turmeric, coriander powder, chilli powder and salt. Fry till mushy. Add the tamarind water. Bring to a boil and continue boiling until it reduces to half the amount. Add the sugar at the very end, a few minutes before removing from heat.

Serve hot with rice.

Okra Curry

Pachadi in Tamil Nadu, usually involves yogurt with a vegetable and/or fruit and a tempering with mustard seeds and chillies. This is a Kerala Pachadi which is more a curry of vegetables. It's pretty unique.


Okra Pachadi

8-10 pieces of Okra, cleaned and chopped
Gingelly Oil (you could use any oil you have on hand - the gingelly oil just makes it more authentic)
1 tbsp Tamarind Paste, dissolved in 1 mug of water (OR) 1 large tbsp fresh tamarind
1 tsp Turmeric powder
1-2 tsp Chilli Powder
2 tbsp shredded Coconut
1 tbsp roasted Sesame seeds
1 tsp Mustard Seeds
1 tsp Sugar

Seasoning: Mustard seeds and red chillies.

Fry the okra in a little gingelly oil on a saute pan. Add the tamarind, turmeric and chilli powder and allow to cook until the fresh smell of the tamarind disappears.

Grind the coconut, sesame and mustard seeds and add it to the cooking okra. Add salt and sugar.

In a separate pan, heat some mustard seeds with a tiny bit of oil. Add the red chillies. When the mustard begins to splutter, add this seasoning mixture to the okra curry.

Serve warm with rice or rotis.


This is off to Srivalli for her Curry Mela. The round-up is going to be one for the bookmarks!

Srivalli has started a Campaign to Heal by raising money for Lakshmi, a mother of 2 children, who desperately needs heart surgery. In India, without insurance, it is almost impossible to get a loan for major surgery, even when it is life-threatening. To find out how you can help, please see Srivalli's post.