Okra Coconut gravy / Vendakkai Thengai Kootu

This is amma's recipe and one which she makes often. I love having okra raw, love its crunchiness and goeiness but when it comes as a side dish, I detest it. Amma doesn't care when I refuse to have the okra kootu cos already half the quantity would have been finished off by me and only the rest makes it to the stove.

After marriage, I am on the lookout for new dishes, as the huss hates raw okra and hates it when I repeat them in the same recipe. Remembered this recipe from Amma, so a quick call I made, a flow of instructions I got and I was there in the kitchen with a new recipe to try out.

~*What U Need*~
Lady's fingers - 200 gms
Onions(large)(sliced) - 1
Tomatoes(medium) - 1
Tamarind extract - 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad dhal - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Oil - 2 tsp

To grind
Grated Coconut - 1/4 cup
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Pearl Onions - 5
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp

How I Made it:
Grind the ingredients under 'grind section' to a semi-coarse paste adding water.

Chop lady's fingers. Heat oil in a kadai, add mustard seeds, urad dhal and curry leaves, allow to splutter. Add onions and saute till transparent. Add chopped tomatoes and fry till soft and mushy.

Now add the chopped lady's fingers. After 2-3 mins, add the tamarind extract and give a nice mix. Close with lid and after 5 mins, add the ground mixture and stir well.