Okra/lady’s finger is one of the famous and nutritious vegetables of North-East African origin. We can get pods while they are tender, green and at the immature stage. The plant is cultivated throughout the tropical and warm temperate regions around the world for their phytonutrients rich pods. It is growing more properly in well-drained soil and manure rich soil.
Okra Fry is a tasty Indian food but most Sri Lankan also like it. Okra Fry is eaten with rice or biryani as a curry. And also it is easy to prepare within a short time period.
Ingredients
- Finely chopped 1 onion.
- Dry red chillies 2, tear and de-seed
- 1/4 kg of ladies fingers, wash, dry, nip the ends and chop into small pieces
- 1/2 tsp of mustard seeds
- Curry leaves 1 sprig
- Salt
- ½ tsp of cumin seeds
- lightly crushed OR 1/2 tsp of asafoetida
- Garlic Cloves 5
- ¼ tsp of turmeric powder
- 1 ½ tbsps of Cooking Oil
How to make
- Firstly take okra and wash them. After that dry them properly.
- Now you have to chop the tip and tail end and chop into 1/2″ pieces.
- Then on your cooker and heat your oil in a cooking saucepan.
- After the oil is hot, reduce heat to medium flame and combine the mustard seeds into it.
- After that wait till it sputters and put the cumin seeds and let them brown. Then cook it including the curry leaves, the dry red chillies and garlic cloves. Then mix them for a few seconds.
- Then put the saute till transparent and chopped onions.
- Add the turmeric powder and okra to it and combine them properly. Saute on medium-high heat for about 6 minutes. Then reduce to low flame and add a tablespoon of yoghurt and lemon juice into it. Then let it cook for 6 minutes.
- After that reduce the flame and cook till the okra turns soft. This could take about 20 minutes of slow roasting. Season with salt and turn off flame.
- Serve hot with steamed rice or Rotis.
Health Benefits of Okra
The okra pods are very low-calorie vegetables. They provide just 30 calories per 100 g besides containing and no cholesterol and saturated fats. Nonetheless, they are a better source of dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals always recommended by nutritionists in cholesterol controlling and weight minimization programs.
The pod is a better source of many essential minerals such as manganese, calcium, iron, and magnesium.
- They are rich in the B-complex group of vitamins like vitamin B-6, thiamin, niacin and pantothenic acid. The pods also contain good amounts of vitamin-K.
- These are also a better source of antioxidant vitamin-C, vitamin, providing about 36% of daily required levels. Research has found that consumption of foods rich in vitamin-C support the people to develop immunity to combat infectious agents, reduce episodes of cold and cough and protect it from harmful free radicals.
The pods are the main source of mucilage substance that help in smooth peristalsis of digested food through the gut and ease constipation condition.
- The pods compose healthy amounts of vitamin-A and flavonoid antioxidants. As well as the vegetables with the huge levels of these antioxidants. Vitamin-A is essential for maintaining healthy mucosa and healthy skin. Consumption of natural vegetables and fruits rich in flavonoids helps to protect from oral cavity cancers and lung cancers.
There are many easy methods to prepare okra fry at your home. If you try on this, you can prepare this within a short time period. So, this will be a wonderful experience for your dinner.
