Bendakaaya/Bhindi PEANUTS FRY (OKRA)

Okra also known as bendakaya(telugu), ladies finger, vendakaay (tamil) and Bhindi(north India) is a healthy, popular and frequently consumed vegetable by most of Indians. This recipe is simple, rich and a great delight for vegetarians. You can often find this dish in south Indian birthday parties/ceremonies, lunch buffets, pooja functions and wedding menus. Okra is considered good for memory power.
More info at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Okra

Ingredients
Bhindi/okra - cleaned and cut in to pieces - 1/2 kg
Dry roasted peanuts - 1 cup
Dry roasted cashews - 1/4 cup (optional)
Dry coconut powder - 1 tspoon
Fried Onions - 3/4 cup
Oil - 5 tspoons
Salt - 1 tspoon
Turmeric - 1 tspoon
Coriander/dhaniya powder - 1 tspoon
Chilly powder - 1 tspoon
Seasoning
Udad dal - 1 tspoon
Mustard seeds - 1 tspoon
Curry leaves - 4 sprigs
Red chillies - 3
Garlic cloves - 4

Procedure

• At first, spread the washed okra/bindi/ladies finger vegetable on a dry tissue paper or a muslin cloth. Allow them to dry for atleast 30 mints, this helps to reduce the stickiness/sliminess. Once dried, cut each okra length wise horizontally in to 0.5 inch pieces. Each piece will look like a hexagon. Refer to above snap.
• Now take a non stick wide skillet/kadai/fry pan and add oil. Once oil gets heated, add all of the above mentioned seasoning stuff.
• Once mustard seeds splutters, add fresh cut okra, spread them evenly and stir once gently. Now add salt and turmeric.
• To retain texture of okra, do not stir until one side of okra is fried. Do not cover the pan.
• over the frypan with a lid and let okra pieces fry on a medium flame for about 8-10 mints. When bottom pieces start to turn sligtly brown, gently stir to flip over the pieces and let them fry for 10 more minutes. Do not cover the pan.
• Now to the fried okra pieces, add dry roasted nuts, chilly powder, coconut and coriander powder and stir them for couple of more minutes to let pieces get coated with spices.
• Switch off the stove, garnish with coriander and fried onions and serve with rice accompanied by dal/rasam/sour curries/sambar/lentils.