Bendakaya Vepudu

Name: Bendakaya Vepudu
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 18 min
Total time: 33 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: andhra
Ingredients: 500 g okra (washed well, dried fully, trimmed and cut into thin rounds); 1 pcs onion (medium, thinly sliced); 2 pcs green chili (slit); 2 tbsp oil; 0.5 tsp mustard seeds; 0.5 tsp cumin seeds; 8 pcs curry leaves; 1 pinch turmeric powder; 0.5 tsp red chili powder; 1 tsp coriander powder; 0.5 tsp salt; 1 tbsp lemon juice

RATING

4.4/5(78)

TASTE SCORE

8/10

A simple Andhra-style okra stir-fry that turns tender and lightly crisp with onions, chili, and everyday spices. It makes a flavorful side dish for rice, dal, rasam, or chapati without needing a rich gravy.

PREP

15m

COOK

18m

SERVES

1 KATORI

124 cal

SERVINGS

METHOD · 7 STEPS

prep · ~15 min
Prep the okra and onions.
1.Wash the okra and dry it completely with a clean kitchen towel.
2.Trim the ends and slice the okra into thin rounds.
3.Slice the onion thinly and slit the green chilies.
TIPDry okra cooks better and stays less slimy in the pan.
temper · ~2 min
Make the tempering.
1.Heat oil in a wide pan over medium heat.
2.Add mustard seeds and let them splutter.
3.Add cumin seeds and curry leaves and cook for a few seconds until fragrant.
saute · ~5 min
Cook the onions and chilies.
Add the onion and green chilies to the pan and cook until the onion turns soft and lightly golden.
saute · ~10 min
Cook the okra.
Add the okra and turmeric powder. Mix well and cook uncovered over medium heat, stirring every 2 to 3 minutes, until the okra loses most of its stickiness and turns tender.
TIPDo not cover the pan, or the okra will steam and become sticky.
saute · ~4 min
Season the fry.
Add red chili powder, coriander powder, and salt. Mix gently and cook for 3 to 4 minutes more until the spices coat the okra well and a few edges turn lightly crisp.
garnish
Finish with lemon juice.
Turn off the heat and drizzle in the lemon juice. Toss once to combine.
serve
Serve hot.
Serve Bendakaya Vepudu hot as a side with rice, rasam, sambar, or chapati.

PRO TIPS

What to keep in mind.

7 tips from the recipe — small details that make a real difference to the final dish.

1
Dry the okra fully after washing; even a little surface moisture makes this vepudu slimy.
2
Use a wide pan so the okra sits in a shallow layer and fries instead of steaming.
3
Wait to add salt until the okra has lost most of its stickiness, or it will release more moisture early.
4
Stir only every 2 to 3 minutes; constant stirring breaks the okra and makes it mushy.
5
Cook uncovered the whole time to help the slime evaporate and the edges turn lightly crisp.
6
Add the lemon juice only after switching off the heat so the fresh tang stays bright.
7
Leftovers reheat best in a skillet, not the microwave, if you want to bring back some crisp edges.