A very dominant part of Chettinad cuisine, belonging to the Chettiar community, comprises of meat-heavy dishes cooked with freshly ground masalas. Techniques like sun-drying meats and salting vegetables were their way of complying with the hot climes of the region and preserving seasonal ingredients for a long time. The robust curries are usually eaten with accompaniments like idiyappams, dosas and idlis. Although the community started out predominantly vegetarian, trade exchanges with various communities across the Malabar coast introduced meat and fish into their way of life, late 18th century onwards.
That being said, the Chettiars were fond of grand, family-style meals comprising of multiple courses. The vendakkai mandi, a sour-spicy okra curry cooked with shallots, garlic, mustard and tamarind pulp was a way of using up the water from soaking rice, that would otherwise be discarded; which is also how the dish derives its name. The starch water or mandi, acts as a thickening agent that gives the curry an extra dimension of texture and flavour. Traditional Chettiar cuisine, although heavy on spices, seems to find a complex balance of flavours that allow each component to shine.
Recipe:
Ingredients:
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- 250 grams lady’s finger
- 7-8 shallots, peeled
- Handful of whole garlic cloves, peeled
- 4 medium tomatoes
- 2 sprigs curry leaves
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 4 round red chillies or
- 2 whole red chillies
- 4 green chillies
- 1 teaspoon urad dal
- ¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds
- ½ teaspoon asafoetida
- 1 lemon-sized ball of tamarind
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 cup rice + 1 cup water
- 1 pinch sugar
Method:
- Wash the rice thoroughly one time and add another cup of water to the bowl. Using your hands, start rubbing the grains together so it begins to release its starch and the water turns cloudy. Allow the grains to sit in the water foe 5-10 minutes before straining.
- Make x-shaped slits beneath the tomatoes and blanch them in boiling water for a couple of minutes. Extract them and peel the skin off. Stick the tomatoes into a blender jar and puree. Meanwhile, slice the lady’s finger into 1-inch pieces and keep aside.
- To make the curry, heat some sesame oil in a pan and start with a tempering of asafoetida, fenugreek and mustard seeds. Once they begin to crackle, add in the red chillies, green chillies and curry leaves. Wait for them to splutter before you add the whole shallots and garlic cloves. Sauté for a couple of minutes, until they begin to release their aroma. Add the chopped lady’s finger and continue stirring for a couple more minutes.
- Soak the ball of tamarind in the strained rice water and remove any bits that aren’t edible. Add the pureed tomatoes into the pan with the vegetable and aromatics and season generously with salt. Add the turmeric powder once the sides start to simmer. Stir well and cook for about 5 minutes.
- Add the rice water to this mixture and check for seasoning. Adjust, if needed. Cook for an additional 10 minutes or until the okra has cooked through. Allow the dish to cool completely and serve at room temperature. The gravy will thicken as it cools and absorb all the flavours, resulting in a spicy-sour medley, best enjoyed with rice or dosas.
Note: You can also swap the okra with other vegetables of your choice; pumpkin, potatoes, beans, carrots and all types of gourds.