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Bendekai saru recipe | Bhindi Rasam Recipe

SwayamPaaka,

Bendekai saru recipe| Bendekai rasam recipe | okra rasam | Bhindi rasam recipe
I hope you have tried beetroot rasam/beetroot saru, drumstick(nuggekayi saru) rasam, tomato rasam and many more rasam recipes from our swayampaaka channel. Here is another addition to the rasam recipes – bendekai saru or bhindi rasam /okra rasam.
Saaru or Rasam is one of the main side dishes in south indian meals. My father used to say – when you begin your meals, always start with any liquid items with rice like saaru/rasam, menasina saaru/pepper rasam, or tambuli. It is believed to help in digestion of the remaining food we consume. Also you should end the meals with buttermilk rice.
Bendekai/Okra/ lady”s finger is high fiber, low calorie vegetable. Okra are the good source of folates, vitamin C and contains Vitamin K. Bendekayi is rich in iron, calcium, and magnesium as well. For kids and adults okra is one the healthiest vegetables to be served at least once a week.
Try this easy with green rasam with okra or bendekayi or bhindi.

Ingredients for making bendekai saru :

  • 300 to 350 grams / ½ lbs bendekai / okra / bhindi
  • 1 tbsp oil to fry the bendekai
  • 3/4 cup hesarubele / moong dal/split green gram
  • around 5.5 cups of water( depends on the consistency of the saru)
  • medium lemon size tamarind soaked in water
  • 3/4 tbsp rock salt or salt to taste
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
  • 10 curry leaves
  • 1 to 2 tsp jaggery
  • coriander leaves

For grinding:

  • 1/2 cup fresh grated coconut
  • around 6 green chillies
  • 1 tsp jeera/cumin seeds

For seasoning:

  • 1 tsp oil
  • pinch of hing
  • 1/4 tsp mustard seeds
  • 1/2 tsp jeera / cumin seeds
  • 1/4 tsp jeera powder
  • 1/8 tsp pepper powder

Method:

  1. Wash and dry the bendekai/bendi. then cut into 1 inch long pieces as shown
  2. Wash the dal thoroughly and cook the hesaru bele/ moong dal in a pan on medium heat with 3 cups of water.
  3. Grind coconut, jeera, chillies along with some water to a fine paste. Keep it ready.

To fry the bendekai/bhindi:

  1. Heat a tbsp oil in another pan, once the oil is hot add cut okra/bendekai. Fry the bendekai until it is cooked.
  2. Once the bele/dal starts to boil reduce the heat to avoid the overflow, and let it cook. Make sure to mix it once in a while .
  3. Once the dals are cooked well add fried bhindi, ground masala, turmeric powder, and add tamarind extract. Add water to the soaked tamarind and extract all the pulp. Add salt and mix it well
  4. Add water if needed, also add curry leaves, and jaggery. Let it boil medium low or low heat for 5 to 6 minutes. Mix it in between
  5. After around 6 minutes- Add chopped coriander leaves, mix it and then turn off the heat.

For seasoning:

  1. Heat the oil in a ladle, once hot add mustard seeds, hing
  2. After the mustard seeds pop, add jeera, fry it for few seconds, then add jeera powder and pepper powder.
  3. Turn off the heat and add the seasoning to the bendekai saaru . Mix it and serve with rice or as soup.

TIP:

  1. If you want to pressure cook the dal make sure to turn off the heat after 1 whistle.
Rasam