Roasted Fresh Okra is a dish that tastes delicious and comes together without much effort, a bit crispy and finely seasoned. And believe me, if you have never tasted Bhindi Roast in your life, you are in for a treat, a pleasant surprise. You will love the humble veggie. Kids adore Vendakka Roast in fact the only vegetable they are comfortable with. Okra has a naturally slimy texture and it’s due to the sugar residue called mucilage. Cooking Okra this way results in a slime free crispy dish. And the vital thing, always choose tender young okra for preparing Bhindi Roast. Larger ones are woody and you will find it difficult to chew through. You can slice okra into long strips or into cylindrical rounds like I have done it here. Either way it works fine. Roasted Fresh Okra pairs well with any non vegetarian dish. I love okra with beef dishes.
Roasted Fresh Okra or Varuval is the most common preparation prevalent in South India. Varuval or roasting is the term used to shallow fry the Okra in required oil until crispy. I have planted ladies finger in my garden and I am lucky my family relishes on those tender ones. Another important point to note is you should not add water while cooking. Also, do not cover the vessel with lid while cooking. Keep sauteing until it turns crisp and is done evenly. Also, add salt to the dish only when nearing the end since salt brings out the moisture content in the veggie. Now, let us observe the nutritional aspect of the vegetable. Vendakka or Okra is rich in vitamin C and K and quite surprisingly is rich in protein too. A healthy vegetable indeed. You can explore a well detailed Bhindi Roast recipe here.