Okra Coconut Pachadi

Ingredients

• 100 g okra (ladies' finger), chopped (வெண்டைக்காய்)
• 5 tbsp grated coconut (தேங்காய் துருவல்)
• 1 tomato (தக்காளி)
• 2 dried red chillies (மிளகாய் வத்தல்)
• half a tsp turmeric powder (மஞ்சள் தூள்)
• 2 tbsp cumin seeds (சீரகம்)
• 6 shallots (3 chopped, 3 for the paste) (சின்ன வெங்காயம்)
• 1 tsp, plus as needed mustard seeds, curry leaves, salt (கடுகு, கறிவேப்பிலை, உப்பு)
• 2 tbsp coconut oil (தேங்காய் எண்ணெய்)
• 1 tsp butter (வெண்ணை)

Method

1. Chop the okra and 3 shallots.
2. Pop mustard in oil, fry the chopped shallots and curry leaves, then add okra and salt and saute until cooked.
3. Grind coconut, tomato, turmeric, red chillies, cumin and the remaining 3 shallots into a paste.
4. Stir the paste into the okra with a little water and bring to a boil.
5. Add the butter, take off the heat and garnish with curry leaves.

Adapted from பேலியோ ஆரோக்கிய சமையல் (Paleo Arokkiya Samaiyal) by Rtn Kannan Azhagirisamy, page 49. Method rewritten in our own words; ingredient quantities follow the book, with gram weights estimated for the nutrition figures. The book thanks the Arokkiya Unavugal (Healthy Foods) Facebook group and tamilpaleorecipes.com.