This Chettinad Vendakkai (Okra) dish used to be packed as a side for lunch along with yogurt rice. It’s great shelf-life makes it the best for long trips and picnics in the hot summer. Whenever you’re on the go, this tangy side is just what you’ll need!
Wash mochai and soak in water 
Soak tamarind in water 
Add mustard seeds, urad dhal and red chilies to oil 
Sauté onions, garlic, green chilies and curry leaves 
Add and sauté cut okra 
Add cooked mochai to the pan 
Pour the rice water and flour mixture into the pan 
Add extracted tamarind juice 
Add salt and adjust consistency as needed 
Cook for 8-10 minutes 
Vendakkai Mochai Mandi
Vendakkai Mochai Mandi
This Chettinad Vendakkai (Okra) dish used to be packed as a side for lunch along with yogurt rice. It's great shelf-life makes it the best for long trips and picnics in the hot summer. Whenever you're on the go, this tangy side is just what you'll need!
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 3 cups okra (vendakkai) (chopped)
- ½ cup mochai (Val whole bean)
- 1½ cup water (for cooking beans)
- ¼ cup onion (chopped) I used 8 shallots cut into 4 pieces
- 6 cloves garlic (cut lengthwise)
- 4 green chilies
- 1 cup rice water (water from washed rice)
- 1 tbsp rice flour
- 2 tbsp oil
- small lemon sized tamarind (soaked in ½ cup water)
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- ½ tsp urad dhal
- 2 red chilies (split in half)
- 10 curry leaves
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Wash mochai and soak it in 1½ cups of water for at least 6 hours.
- Once soaked, cook for 3-4 whistles in a pressure cooker. The beans should be soft. Set aside when done.
- Soak tamarind in water and set aside.
- Next, mix rice flour into the rice water and set this aside as well.
- Add oil to a pot. Once hot, add mustard seeds, urad dhal, and red chillies.
- Once mustard seeds start to crackle, add onions, garlic, green chilies, and curry leaves to the pot.
- Sauté for 2 minutes. Make sure the raw smell from the onions and garlic have faded.
- Then, add the cut okra to the pot and sauté for 4-5 minutes. The stickiness should be gone.
- Now, add the cooked mochai beans and mix well.
- Pour in the rice water and flour mixture along with the extracted tamarind juice.
- Add salt to taste. Adjust the consistency of the mandi by adding more water, if needed.
- Cover the pot with a lid and cook for 8-10 minutes.
- Once the okra is well cooked, remove the mandi from the flame.
- Serve as a side dish for yogurt rice.
