Ladies fingers/ Okra?

Okra or Ladies Finger Curry (Bhindi Curry)

Ingredients

1 lb okra

1 big tomato, diced

2 medium onions, diced

4 green chilies, chopped (adjust according to taste)

1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder

1/3 teaspoon cumin powder

2/3 teaspoon garam masala

2 tablespoons lemon juice

3 bunch of cilantro or coriander leaves

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

Salt to taste

Preparation

1 Discard the ends of okra by cutting it off.

2 Cut remaining Okra into around 1 inch piece sizes.

3 Heat the oil in pan in medium heat.

4 Lower the heat. Carefully add onions, green chilies, spices and salt. Increase heat to medium. Stir-fry until onions are light golden brown.

5 Add okra and stir-fry for around 15 minutes in a medium heat.

6 Add tomato, sprinkle the lemon juice and mix well for few minutes.

7 Sprinkle cilantro or coriander leaves as decoration and serve hot with rice or roti.

Number of Servings: 4

Coconut Okra 3 tbsp fresh coconuts, grated 1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves ½ tsp Chilli powder large pinch ground cumin large pinch ground coriander ¼ tsp Salt 2 tbsp sunflower oil 500g okra pinch asafetida Method 1. Combine the coconut, coriander leaves, chilli powder, ground cumin, ground coriander and salt. Moisten with about 2 tsp of the sunflower oil and knead the mixture together by hand. 2 Cut the tops off the okra and make an incision along its length to make a pocket. Fill each pocket with a spoonful of the coconut mixture. 3. Heat the remaining oil in a wok or large frying pan set over a low heat and add the asafetida. Tip in the okra and any remaining filling. Stir and fry for a minute or two, until just tender.

Spinach and okra Soup

Serves 4-6

Preparation time less than 30 mins

Cooking time 30 mins to 1 hour

Ingredients

4 tbsp olive or groundnut oil

1 onion, coarsely chopped

3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped

1 small carrot, cut into coarse rounds

10 green beans cut into 2.5cm/1in pieces

6 okra pods, trimmed at the ends and cut crossways into coarse slices

450g/1lb fresh spinach, well washed and cut crossways into strips 1cm/½in wide.

1-2 hot green chillies, coarsely sliced

750ml/1¼ pint chicken or vegetable stock

400ml/14fl oz can coconut milk, well stirred

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Put the oil in a large pan and set it over a medium-high heat. When it is hot, put in the onion, garlic, carrot, green beans and okra. sauté for five minutes.

2. Now put in the spinach and chillies and cook for another five minutes. Pour in the stock, stir and bring to the boil. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for 25-30 minutes.

3. Put the soup in a food processor or blender and blend coarsely, or finely, as desired. You will need to do this in several batches. Return the soup to the pan. Add the coconut milk and some salt and pepper to taste. Stir well and bring to a simmer before serving.

Lady Fingers I get at the local market in the refrigerated cooler, neat the english muffins or bagels. Okra I get in the frozen veggie area, and you can get them whole or sliced.

As for making lady fingers at home, try foodnetwork.com for receipes. I think its a basic sponge cake receipe.

ps what are you cooking?

Um..do not ever pair okra and ladyfingers.

That's my suggestion.

The same. Japanese okra is less slimy.

Try the following

Spiced fried okra

These need to be cooked at the last minute because they do not reheat well.

60g/2oz gram flour (chickpea flour)

400g/14oz okra, wiped clean with damp kitchen roll, topped and tailed

vegetable oil, for frying

1 tsp chaat masala ('snack spice' - a spice mixture available readymade from Asian grocers)

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp red chilli powder

¼ tsp dried mango powder (also sold as amchoor, available from Asian grocers)

Method

1. Place the gram flour in a shallow bowl. Slice the okra pieces lengthwise into quarters and toss them in the gram flour.

2. Pour the oil into a large saucepan to a depth of approximately 2.5cm/1in and heat until a breadcrumb will sizzle gently when placed into the oil. Add the okra to the pan and fry until the okra is crisp and golden-brown, stirring occasionally.

3. Remove the okra with a slotted spoon and place it into a large bowl lined with kitchen roll. Sprinkle over the chaat masala, salt, chilli and dried mango powder and toss well. Serve hot

Deep-fried okra with dipping sauce

vegetable oil, for deep-frying

200g/7¼oz self-raising flour

200ml/7¼fl oz sparkling water

100g/3½oz okra

For the dipping sauce

50g/1¾oz sesame seeds

pinch of chilli flakes

½ red chilli, very finely chopped

5 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp sesame oil

handful of coriander, chopped

1 lemon, zest only

Method

1. Heat a pan one-third filled with vegetable oil, for deep-frying, until a breadcrumb will sizzle gently in it. (CAUTION: Hot oil can be very dangerous. Do not leave unattended.)

2. Place the flour in a bowl and whisk in enough fizzy water to create a batter.

3. Dip the okra into the batter and then deep-fry in the hot oil for 30 seconds to one minute, or until crisp and golden. Carefully remove and drain on kitchen paper.

4. For the sauce, heat the sesame seeds, chilli flakes, chilli, soy sauce, sesame oil, coriander and lemon zest in a pan, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes.

5. Transfer the deep-fried okra to a serving plate and serve the dipping sauce in a little dish alongside.

Okra stew with lemon and herb basmati rice

For the stew

1 tbsp olive oil

½ red onion, finely sliced

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

½ tbsp chilli powder

75g/2¾oz okra

1 fresh plum tomato, chopped

1 tbsp fresh chives, chopped

1 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped

300ml/10fl oz hot vegetable stock

salt and freshly ground black pepper

pinch chopped chives to garnish

For the rice

100g/3½oz basmati rice, cooked according to packet instructions

1 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped

1 lemon, zest and juice only

1 thin lemon slice, to garnish

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over a medium heat. Add the red onion and garlic and cook for two minutes to soften.

2. Add the chilli powder, okra, tomato and herbs and cook for two more minutes.

3. Add the stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for eight minutes.

4. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper and pour into a warm bowl.

5. To make the rice, place the cooked rice into a large bowl.

6. Add the coriander, lemon zest and juice and mix together.

7. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper and transfer to a warm bowl.

8. To serve, garnish the stew with a pinch of chopped chives. Serve the rice alongside and garnish with the lemon slice.

Indian-style prawn and vegetable stir-fry

For the prawns

5 raw king prawns, peeled and cleaned

¼ tsp ground turmeric

½ tsp ground coriander

pinch ground cardamom

1 tbsp vegetable oil

pinch sea salt

½ lemon, juice only

25g/1oz butter

For the vegetable stir-fry

2 carrots, peeled, sliced

85g/3oz okra, topped, halved lengthways

85g/3oz unpodded peas, halved lengthways

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 onion, peeled, sliced

1 garlic clove, peeled, chopped

½ tsp coriander seeds

pinch ground turmeric

¼ tsp ground coriander

¼ tsp garam masala

Method

1. For the prawns, place the raw prawns into a glass bowl and add the ground turmeric, ground coriander, ground cardamom, vegetable oil, sea salt and half the lemon juice. Stir well, then cover with cling film and leave to marinate for at least ten minutes.

2. For the stir-fry, carefully drop the sliced carrots and okra into a pan of salted boiling water and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the halved peas and boil for one minute. Drain, and refresh under cold running water.

3. Heat the vegetable oil in a wok, add the onion and fry for 3-4 minutes or until the onion begins to soften. Add the garlic, coriander seeds, ground turmeric, ground coriander and garam masala and fry for a further 1-2 minutes. Add the okra, carrots and peas to the pan and pan-fry for 2-3 minutes. Add the rest of the lemon juice and stir well.

4. Heat the butter in a small frying pan, add the marinated prawns and pan-fry for 2-3 minutes or until the prawns are pink and completely cooked through.

5. To serve, spoon the stir-fried vegetables into a serving bowl and top with the pan-fried prawns.