Bendekayi Gojju is very delicious and healthy  side dish goes well with rotti, chapathi, and rice. Bendi / bendekayi / ladies finger/Okra/BendekAi is a low calorie vegetable that is rich in Vitamin B, Vitamin C, folic acid, calcium and dietary fiber.

Gojju is very popular Karnataka side dish prepared using most of the asian vegetables like bitter gourd, onion, green beans etc….Here is the recipe to Bendekayi gojju, the way my mother does! This is No Onion No Garlic Recipe.

For More gojju recipes CLICK ON GOJJU

Ingredients for making bendekayi gojju:

• 2 cups of cut okra ( ಬೆಂಡೆಕಾಯಿ ಹೋಳುಗಳು )
• 2 TBSP oil (ಎಣ್ಣೆ)
• ½ TBSP jaggery (ಬೆಲ್ಲ)
• marble sized tamarind soaked in water (ಹುಣಸೆ ಹಣ್ಣು )
• 2 cups of water (ನೀರು )
• little turmeric powder (ಅರಿಶಿಣ)
• 1 tsp salt (ಉಪ್ಪು)

For grinding:

• ¾ cup shredded coconut (ತೆಂಗಿನ ತುರಿ )
• 1 TBSP chopped cilantro / coriander leaves (ಕೊತ್ತಂಬರಿ ಸೊಪ್ಪು)
• ¾ tsp mustard seeds (ಸಾಸಿವೆ)
• 1½ tsp dry roasted sesame seeds(ಎಳ್ಳು)
• 4 to 5 green chillies (ಹಸಿರು ಮೆಣಸಿನ ಕಾಯಿ)

For seasoning: (ಒಗ್ಗರಣೆಗೆ)

• Remaining Oil ( ಎಣ್ಣೆ)
• ½ tsp mustard seeds (ಸಾಸಿವೆ)
• Little bit hing /asafoetida (ಇಂಗು)

Method:

1. Wash and dry the okra/Bendi thoroughly and cut into 2 cm pieces. (Drying is very important, make sure your knife and cutting board are also dry before you cut bendi/ ladies finger)
2. Dry roast the sesame seeds and transfer it to the mixer jar.
3. Grind the ingredients listed under “For grinding” along with some water to fine paste. Keep it aside.
4. Keep the same pan back (which we used to dry roast sesame seeds )  on the stove and heat 1 ½ TBSP oil.
5. Once it is hot, add the cut okra. Fry it for 3 to 4 minutes.
6. Then add salt and curry leaves, mix it, and cover the plate. Let it cook for a few more minutes.
7. Now squeeze the tamarind juice to okra, cover it and let it cook for another few minutes.
8. Add the ground paste, jaggery, and remaining water along with turmeric powder and let it cook for 5 to 8 minutes on medium low heat. Then turn off the heat.
9. Finally add seasoning.

Seasoning:

1. Heat the oil in a ladle on medium heat.
2. Add hing and mustard seeds.
3. Once the mustard seeds pop, pour it onto the Gojju.
4. Enjoy this gojju/curry with rotti, chapathi, hot rice…