Vendakkai Sambar | Okra Sambar

Sambar can be made with a variety of vegetables and each vegetable gives a unique flavor to the sambar.  Vendakkai / ladies finger sambar is one of my all time favorites. I have already posted some other easy sambar recipes – radish sambar, pumpkin sambar and vendhaya keerai sambar, check them out too. 

Ladies finger is quite expensive here and not available all-year around. So whenever I see good ones, I buy few to make pachadi or sambar. This is an easy and no-grind sambar recipe, perfect for beginners and bachelors. It goes well with any thoran/poriyal or vegetable stir-fry and with idli/dosa too. We totally enjoyed this vendakkai sambar with rice and kathrikai kara curry. Let’s see how to make this simple and flavorful sambar.

Vendakkai/Okra Sambar

South Indian lentil and ladies finger (okra) curry

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Servings 4

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Ingredients

• ½ cup toor dal / yellow pigeon peas
• 2 tsp coconut oil
• 12-15 vendakkai / bhindi
• 8-10 shallots / chinna vengayam
• ½ tbsp tamarind paste / gooseberry-sized tamarind
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 ½ tsp sambar powder
• ½ red chilly powder
• Salt to taste

To temper

• 2 tsp coconut oil
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 2 dry red chillies
• Pinch of asafoetida / hing
• Few curry leaves

Instructions

• Wash and pressure cook the dal with 1 ½ cup water and a pinch of turmeric powder for 3 whistles. Mash well and set aside.
• Soak the tamarind in 1 cup warm water and extract the tamarind juice. If using tamarind paste, dissolve in 1 cup warm water.
• Wash the ladies finger well, put on a towel or tissue paper and dry it completely. Trim the end and cut into 1 inch long pieces.
• Heat a kadai and add 1 tsp coconut oil and ladies finger. Fry in medium-high flame until brown spots appear. Set aside.
• In the same kadai, add 1 tsp oil and fry the shallots for 3-4 minutes. Add the fried ladies finger, tamarind extract, turmeric powder, sambar powder, red chilly powder and salt.
• Bring to boil and boil until raw smell of tamarind goes. Then add the mashed dal, water if required and simmer for 4-5 minutes.
• In a small pan, heat oil and add mustard seeds. When it crackles, add dry chillies, asafoetida and curry leaves. Pour over the sambar.

Notes

• You can use any oil but I recommend using coconut oil as it adds a nice flavor.
• You can also add a small tomato after frying the shallots.
• Adding red chilly powder is optional.
• Frying ladies finger removes the sliminess, so do not skip it.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Keyword: Sambar