Back in the day, I remember Dida, as I fondly call my grandmother, would put okras with rice and serve those boiled okras, insisting they were good for health. Anything green in the Indian household passes off as healthy by the elders. For the younger members, okra (or dhyarosh in Bengali) is a much frowned upon vegetable. So I would avoid it as much as I could and throw a tantrum if I were given okra with roti (an Indian bread) for dinner. But ever since I started living on my own, I have found new love for all the vegetables I previously shied away from. Okra has made a major comeback in my life after tasting a dish my friend made, making me realize how much better my Dida cooked the okras. Hence, to cut long story short, I called her up to make myself an easy dinner on a weekday and to have a little bit of Bangaliana back in my life.
This is probably the easiest and least spicy dish you will have the fortune of coming across, and it’s for all those lazy bums who want maximum good food with minimum effort.
Note: The instructions may seem to consists of unusually long sentences if you’re one of those who just skim articles to find the actual recipe (I am one of those too). But have a little patience, and I promise to humour you! In case you’re still not convinced, the words in bold should be an easy way out.
INGREDIENTS:
- 3 cups okra, chopped
- 2 medium-sized potatoes
- 1 large onion
- 2-3 green chillies
- Vegetable/Canola oil
- Salt
- Cumin Powder
- Turmeric powder
- Nigella seeds (called Kalojeera or Kalonji in the Indian subcontinent)
INSTRUCTIONS:
Step 1
It is easier to get frozen okras rather than fresh ones in the U.S.A. While I got some small frozen ones, I strongly encourage you to find the fresh variety and chop it up yourself. Preferably, discard off the head and keep the pieces of similar size to ensure they are cooked uniformly. Also, important note – if you don’t like your okras slimy, then pat them dry before you cook them. Moisture + okra = release of mucilage (sugar residue that leads to the viscious, sticky liquid oozing out), so avoid it if you do not like that texture. Since this recipe does not have any other acidic agent that might absorb the mucilage, in spite of your best attempts, you might end up with slightly slimy okras. If you need to avoid it at any cost, apply high heat to fry the okras beforehand and avoid covering the lid.
I use gold or red potatoes these days, but russet potatoes will work fine too as long as you fry them longer. Piece them up into longitudinal sections, reminding you of the french fries you shouldn’t consume.
Then slice up some onions using some Gordon Ramsay chopping skills and wipe off those tears of happiness. Onions, however, are optional in this recipe.
Step 2
Choosing the type of oil for your cooking is an important area we often overlook. For example, mustard oil is wildly popular in the Bengali household, but with research showing it may be bad for the heart, they have learnt it’s not a healthy option for everyday cooking. Sunflower oil is another alternative I have commonly found in the kitchen, but unfortunately it is not one with nutritional value and not good for high heat either. I did a fair amount of studying about oils in relation to this article and would like to share my findings more elaborately with you soon in another post. For now, I suggest using canola oil or vegetable oil. Olive oil should be fine if you have the bucks, but it is not my top choice for medium-high heat cooking because of its low smoke point.
Once your oil is heated, fry your onions for 5-6 minutes till they become translucent. I like to leave it on a little while more so it achieves a slight brown colour, lending a nice, sweet flavour. Add in the green chillies.
Step 3
Many recipes will ask you to put the nigella seeds in the oil at the very beginning, but I prefer to put them after the onions are cooked and before you put in the potatoes. Since much of the cooking is in medium heat, this ensures that they don’t get burnt and retain their aroma and smokey (not burnt) taste.
Step 4
The potatoes need the most time to get cooked. One alternative is to fry them before the onions and add them back in for steaming. But since I slice up my potatoes pretty thin, they cause less hassle and I let them fry for about 10 minutes before I put in the okra. Make sure to stir every now and then to ensure your vegetables don’t get charred.
Step 5
The next step depends on whether you like your okras fried or not. If yes, then fry the okras in another pan and add cumin powder, turmeric and salt to the potato-onion mixture. If you’d rather have them softer like me, add in your okras to the mixture first.
The earlier you add the spices, the more you allow them to cook and blend in with the flavours of your dish while losing a bit of their individual flavours. So if you had opted to put in your okra first, my advice is to add the spices a little after they start softening.
You might also have noticed that I refrained from giving exact measurements of the spices. That’s because, Indian cuisine is all about eyeballing and knowing your own tastebuds. What works for me may not work for you at all. Still, for an estimate, I use 1 teaspoon of cumin powder, 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder and 1 teaspoon salt.
Step 6
To fully cook the potatoes and okra, you need to cover and cook for around 10-12 minutes. Cooking it uncovered is going to increase the cooking time by at least 10 more minutes. My way to check is take out a potato and try to cut it with a knife. If it’s a smooth cut, you’re done. If not, you might want to give it a stir, put the lid back on and repeat the process.
Step 7
The key to making an Indian dish taste good is to taste it repeatedly to ensure you have the desired flavour. I use salt very miserly and often have to add more of it towards the end. Till you have heightened senses of the spices like Indian homecooks, I suggest you stick to this method for better results.
And that folks, is how you make your Okra taste good!
