A low carb dish is not all bacon, steak, fish or chicken. There are several low carb veggies out there that are great to eat and okra is one of them. Okra not only promotes good digestive health, but also good cholesterol levels and keep diabetes at bay due to its high fiber content. Okra is one of my favorite vegetable. I didn’t plant enough this year, but the ones I planted steadily produced enough for my family to feed every few days. Today’s recipe is a south Indian preparation from the last of the okra from my garden. Uploaded Video on YouTube channel.
My introduction to this curry happened few years ago at a friend’s house. I had never eaten okra in a gravy dish before except for sambar. I loved it and it has been a constant in my household since then. If, like me, you prefer sour and spicy curries with a hint of sweetness you will love this one. This curry is very flavorful yet surprisingly easy, making it ideal for weeknights. It is traditionally served with akki roti (rice flour flatbread) or hot steamed rice. However to keep the whole meal low carb and diabetic friendly have it with red rice akki roti or porridge made with quinoa and millet.
The recipe varies from one part of the south Indian state to another and hence don’t be surprised if you come across other recipes using different ingredients and cooking style. So here’s my friend’s recipe. Besides okra, all the ingredients used in the recipe fit into low carb and diabetic friendly lifestyle. Hope you would enjoy as much as we do. Don’t forget to leave your comments if you try this dish I would love to know how it came out for you.
A spicy and tangy curry with a hint of sweetness to whet your appetite.
Ingredients
- 500 g fresh okra
- 2 tsp coriander powder
- 1 1/2 tsp cumin powder
- 40 g tamarind
- 1 1/2 tsp red chili powder
- 4 tsp coconut palm sugar
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 3 dry red chilies
- Few curry leaves
- salt to taste
- Olive oil
- 1 1/4 cup roughly sliced onion
- 6-8 garlic cloves, peeled
- 3/4 tsp turmeric powder
- 3/4 cup thawed fresh shredded coconut
- 1 tomato, chopped
Instructions
- Rinse okra well and pat dry with a kitchen towel.
- With a dry knife cut away the tops and little ends.
- Soak tamarind in 1 cup of hot water for 15 minutes. Squeeze out all the pulp and discard the seeds. Keep the tamarind puree aside.
- Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a pan and when it is hot add okra and little bit salt. Fry on medium to high flame till it turns slightly browned (it takes about 5-7 minutes). Remove okra and set aside in a plate.
- In the same pan add 2 tsp oil. Sauté garlic and onion until slightly darker. Add turmeric powder, tomato and shredded coconut. Sauté for another couple of minutes.
- Remove the pan from heat and transfer the contents to the bowl of a mixer grinder. Add 1/4 cup hot water in pan, scrape everything and add it to the onion and coconut mixture. Grind the mixture to a very smooth paste.
- Heat 2 tsp oil in the same pan. Add 1 mustard seed. When seed sizzles and pops, add remaining mustard seeds, cover, and cook until seeds start popping, about 10 seconds. Add curry leaves and dry red chillies, fry for 20 seconds. Add the pureed masala, tamarind juice, coconut palm sugar and 2 cups water (Gravy begins to thicken as it cools so you can add more water if you like thin gravy) . Bring it to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat and simmer gently for 5 minutes.
- Add salt, red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and okra. Cook for additional 3-5 minutes.
- This is best served with hot steamed rice or akki roti (rice flour flat bread).
- For a low carb and diabetic friendly option have it with red rice akki roti or porridge made with millet and quinoa.
This recipe was shared with CookBlogShare.
Michelle Frank | Flipped-Out Food
Wow! Although I knew from cooking Cajun food that okra is a great sauce-thickener, I had no idea that it was such a super-veggie! I am positive that it would be fantastic in a curry—I can’t wait to try it! #CookBlogShare
Monika
Your curry dish sounds delicious, I love that it contains actual coconut not just coconut milk.
NancyC
This sounds like a wonderful way to serve okra!
Loretta
Love okra and with the tamarind and coconut palm sugar, I’m just imagining what these flavors would do to my taste buds, together with those familiar Indian spices. Will definitely be trying it. I had once read how to prevent the gooey stuff from oozing out when cooking okra, but I’ve forgotten the trick. I now use frozen ones, as they are all clean and does not require chopping.
Balvinder
Hi, Loretta, when you fry okra in little oil and salt there will be no gooey stuff coming out. My picture of okra after it has been fried speaks for itself.
Angie@Angie's Recipes
I love okra! Must visit Asian store to get some more. Your curry looks so delicious and comforting.
Tarnjit Hemer
Yum!! Looks super delicious!
Corina Blum
It looks delicious! I don’t see okra very often but I would love to try this dish when I do next see it. I think it must go so well in a curry.
marcie
I love okra and never get around to using it. I’ve never seen it in a dish like this and it looks wonderful!
Jacqui Bellefontaine
That looks very delcicious. Thank you for linking to #CookBlogShare
cheri
Okra is one of my favorite veggies too but I only know how to prepare it one way, love, love this curry dish, will be making this soon.
Emma - Bake Then Eat
Okra is so hard to come by where I live but I love it when I can get my hands on it. I love the sound of this curry.
Monica
My mom used to cook okra and I always liked it but I don’t have it very often. When we went to Charleston, I made sure to order it when we saw it on a menu. Love your curry here. It’s great to have more low carb options.
judee
Interesting recipe- I don’t make okra very often but this looks delicious