Okra Curry
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Throughout our India ~ Africa journey, in Southeast-Asia, UAE or the African islands, there was much similarity in the influence of Indian food on their local cuisine. In the local market in Mauritius, like other nations, I saw lots of spices and nuts, which explained that one of the roots of their local cuisine is Indian curry. In Mauritius, I saw lots of okra, which locals call ‘ladies’ fingers’ or lalos.
After checking a little, I found out that okra stewed or in curry, is indeed one of their favorites. I was intrigued to make okra curry, especially since it is now okra season.
The first time I made a basic curry sauce was in 1982. It was a recipe I found in a Japanese cookbook I purchased the previous year in Japan. The result was marvelous and extremely satisfying. Since then, I have learned of more spices and made some adjustments in spices used and the ratio. This basic sauce may be made in a larger quantity and frozen for future usage.
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Curry, the basic sauce
Recipe by: Fae’s Twist & Tango (fae-magazine.com)
INGREDIENTS
• 4 Tbsp oil
• 4 pods green cardamom
• 3 whole cloves
• 1 stick/quill (7.5 cm/3″)cinnamon
• 500 g/ 18 oz (2 med-large) yellow/sweet onions, very finely minced (or if grated, drained)
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 tsp garlic & ginger paste
• 2 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• ¾ ~ 1 tsp red chili pepper powder
• ¾ tsp turmeric powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 Tbsp water
• 1 kg/2.2 lbs = 3 cups pureéd/minced good quality tomatoes (best blanched to remove skin,
de-seeded and finely minced); ripe, meaty Roma tomatoes used here
• 1½ tsp garam masala
• 2 ~ 3 Tbsp fresh cilantro/coriander leaves, chopped
DIRECTIONS
◊ In a non-stick pot, on medium-high, heat 4 Tbsp oil and add cardamom pods (crack them between your finger), cloves, cinnamon stick, and stir for few seconds. When fragrant, add minced onion and cumin seed. Stir every minute, and after 10 minutes, more frequently, until the onion is well caramelized (total… about 28 minutes).
◊ Add garlic & ginger paste, stir for half a minute and then add coriander powder, cumin powder, red chili pepper, turmeric powder, salt, 2 Tbsp water and stir for a minute.
◊ Add minced/pureéd tomato and bring to boil. Immediately reduce the heat to medium. It is very important to stay by the pot and stir often (to avoid coagulation) until the oil separates and the tomato is well fried (20 minutes). Add garam masala, stir and turn off the heat. At this point, cardamom pods, cloves and cinnamon stick may be removed. Yields about 2 cups of curry sauce. Sprinkle fresh chopped cilantro/coriander and it may be served as is.
Or, there are choices of variations.
◊ Serve with rice, naan and yogurt/raita.
Some Variations
♦ Okra Curry – Usually, recipes call for briefly sautéing the okra (200 g ~ 300 g) before adding to the curry. However, boiling in salted hot water for 2 ~ 3 minutes works perfectly. After drained, cut the okras or add whole, if small in size. Add the okras to the curry sauce at the time you add garam masala. Simmer for 3 minutes. Garnish with cilantro and serve.
♦ Vegetable Curry – Add vegetables such as cut potato, carrot, cauliflower, cooked chickpeas, at the time
garam masala is added and 1 cup of hot water and cook until vegetables are done. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve.
♦ Cashew Curry – Add up to 6 Tbsp of cashew paste/mill at the time garam masala is added, and simmer
for 5 minutes. Garnish with cilantro and serve.
♦ Chicken Curry – Add 6 pieces of skinless chicken (make a few shallow cuts on each piece), 1 bay leaf (optional), 4 Tbsp fresh cilantro and ½ cup hot water before you add the garam masala. Cook/simmer
for 25 ~ 30 minutes or until the meat is cooked. Add garam masala and simmer for one more minute.
Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve.
~ Bon Appétit! ~
Cashew Curry
Chicken Curry
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So, what’s cooking in your kitchen?
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Yum! It was freezing today, so I could definitely use some of your curry!
Over piping how rice.
This recipe looks stunning, Fae. I am a huge fan of curries and love to try recipes from around the world. I have a question about the garlic and ginger paste you use. I imagine you must be referring to one in a jar. Can you just use fresh garlic and ginger? Do you think the flavour will change?
Hi Julianna, Yes, you are correct, it is the one in a jar. I happened to find it in an Indian market. Other than garlic+ginger, I only taste a little salt in the bottled ones, nothing else. I personally think, by just using the same amount of garlic and ginger it should work perfectly… (in this case instead of “2 tsp garlic & ginger paste”, 1 tsp each of grated garlic and grated ginger would work).
Hi Fae. Thanks so much. I kind of thought that too, but it never hurts to check with the source! I have a nice Indian market near my home, so I will see if they have the paste and give it a whirl. It looks like such a great recipe.
I love curry, thanks for this great recipe!
You’re so right! I know what you mean about the influences from Indian cuisine in faraway places. I love the versatility and familiarity of curry. So nice to find variations of it all around the world–a delicious dish with various global twists! I hope to try your version one day!
Indian cuisine is one of my top three favorites. Every country you think of, there are Indian settlers, for varieties of reason. When I grew up in Japan and went to international school, fair percentage of our school mates (in Kobe, Japan) were from India. Some were there for 2 or three generations already, 45+ years ago. Almost all the fathers were wealthy merchants who came to Japan after WWII for trade. Of course, they introduced the cuisine to Japan and some even became restaurateur. I was a lucky kid who get’s invited to their home or restaurant to enjoy every sampler you can imagine.
Oh I will make this and I love your new blog format! So much easier to find new posts!
Hi Cindy, I really like this theme too. Please do make the curry. You will be pleased.
Huge fan of curry and this looks wonderful.
Despite having seen it in the shops before, I’ve never actually tried okra before Fae… does it have a particularly strong flavour? Such a lovely looking curry you’ve made!
Okra’s taste itself is very mild and pleasant. Okra has the characteristic ‘goo’ or slime when the seed pods are just boiled. However, it does not make the sauce cooked in gooey/slimy. To minimize sliminess, keeping the pods intact, stir-frying helps. People who like okra, like the bit of the goo, the taste of course, and the seeds bursting while chewing. Many just briefly boil them and eat them with mayonnaise as done with asparagus.
This looks amazing!
Your proportions being somewhat different from my usual one, cannot wait to have time to try!! Thanks
!
I would love to know yours. Try mine, and let me know how you would compare them.
I adore curry, love yours with some steaming rice and fresh green salad.
If you were close, I would have delivered some to you, Sweet Suzanne.
I am on a business trip (again…) and had the most unsatisfying meal which upsets me so, especially since I was famished. And now you post this! Ooooh curry…..
I know how it feels when you are disappointed with unpleasant food you had.
Okra curry looks amazing! Must try! I don’t think I ever cooked okra at home:) thanks for sharing…
Oh, give it a try. Don’t overcook the okra (3 minutes for small dainty ones).
I can only imagine the wave of colors and flavors! I have never made a curry sauce. Sounds great! Thank you, Fae!
If you like curry, give it a go someday. 😛
I love Indian food but don’t have access to good Asian restaurants in France. Sometimes I fly to London for a foodie weekend, but that doesn’t happen nearly often enough. This recipe will help me a lot! Thank you so much for sharing this!!
Hi Stéphane, It take a little due diligence to make it, but you will definitely be satisfied, I’m sure.
I can see your recipe has been perfected over the years. The flavors look balanced and the spices among my favorites. I’ll try this for a special dish/occasion.
Maybe make part of it with much less ground red chili pepper and garlic-ginger paste for the precious little ones. Maybe not a good idea to eat when you are breast feeding (in the future).
Haha. Exactly. Yes, that would wake the baby right up!
I love spice, garlic and ginger… kids definitely grow a taste for it slowly but surely, bit by bit.
Oh Fae this is fantastic! I am going to keep this curry sauce recipe. Would you ever use ground cardamom instead of pods? I have everything on hand except pods and I am going to make this today with chicken.
If you are adding ground cardamom instead, add it when you add the other ground spices, otherwise, you know that it will burn.
Fae, these look amazing and I love the flavors
Your lady finger statement reminded me of a funny incident. When I was new in states, 13 years ago, I went to the store to buy lady fingers or bhindi (Hindi) from the grocery store. I asked the lady assistant and she showed me Italian cookies used for the dessert. I and her both had a hard time trying to figure out what each one was talking about ! :).
I know what you mean. 😀 )))
As an avid cook, I hate to admit this, but I am tempted to bypass this and just buy curry paste in a jar and save myself a couple hours. (Do you always make your own curry sauce, or do you ever buy curry in a jar? If so, what brand do you buy?) Then again, your photo shows some very rich, authentic Indian-tasting curry there, so I am interested in trying this. Thanks for the inspiration!
Best,
D
Hi Derek, I have at times bought curry in the jar, because I craved so much and like you, did not want to go through the time it takes. I was sorry every time. Now I make double the recipe amount, each time, and froze half of it. I’m glad you are going to give it a go, and let me know if you would go back to the jars. BTW, If you can get hold of a good quality tomato paste (which is better than un-ripe or tomatoes of less quality), it may save some work/time there.
This is SOOO useful, thank you xx
When I think of vegetarian, I think of you, Sweet Elaine.
I have been looking for a good, basic sauce recipe like this! And thanks for adding in the variations as well… I’ll even dare make my own garam masala mix (hope it works out)!
Good for you, Athina! I made it once and found out there are varieties of them, so I gave up. 😉
I’ll have to try this 😀
Looks great and I have all the ingredients in my cupboard ready to go! Like the idea of making a big batch and storing it in the freezer ready for an easy weekday dinner. Thanks for sharing the recipe
Love this Fae!
Well…after seeing all your lovely photos, I think curry!!!