Bendan Thel-Piyao | Mangalorean Style Okra Stir-fry
Thel-Piyao has to be the simplest, easiest and quickest method of cooking veggies in Mangalorean cuisine. Thel-Piyao means “Oil-Onion” in konkani language and no prizes for guessing, these are the main ingredients alongside the hero ingredient in this style of cooking. And, the hero ingredient I have for you in this recipe is the Okra.
Bendan Thel-Piyao
To begin with, wash the Okra well and pat-dry until it is devoid of any moisture. It is very important to ensure they are dry in order to prevent the dish from turning slimy. I have explained in detail about this phenomena in my Bendan-Miriyapito recipe. Please do have a look! Once the Okra are clean n dry, trim their ends and cut into one-inch lengths. Once this is done, the Bendan Thel-Piyao recipe comes together in no time.
Heat coconut oil in a pan and add slit green chillies, sliced onions and the Okra to the pan. Add dried kokum skins and some water. Cover and cook on medium-high heat until the moisture evaporates and the okra are cooked tender. Add salt, give it a good mix and cook for a couple of minutes. At this stage, optionally some grated coconut can be added to add some more nutti-ness and texture to the dish. Done!
The Bendan Thel-Piyao is a bare-basic recipe which showcases the natural flavour of the hero ingredient. The slight hint of nuttin-ness from the coconut oil, the heat from the chillies, sweetness of the onion and the tartness from the kokum, help to enhance the flavour of the Okra and make it shine through. Do give this recipe a try!
Bendan Thel- Piyao
Ingredients
- 300 gms Okra (Ladies-fingers) ,washed and pat-dried of any excess moisture
- 1 tbsp Coconut Oil
- 2 pc Green Chillies, slit vertically
- 1 pc Onion (medium- sized), sliced
- 6 pc Dried Kokum Skins (see notes)
- Salt, as needed
- ¼ Cup Water
- 2 tbsp Coconut, freshly grated
Instructions
- Ensure the Okra are completely dry, trim their ends and cut into 1 inch lengths
- In a pan, heat the coconut oil
- Add green chillies, sliced onion and the Okra to the pan, followed by dried kokum skins and give it a gentle mix
- Add the water, cover the pan and cook on medium-high heat until the moisture evaporates and the Okra are cooked tender
- Add salt and grated coconut (if using) and cook on a open flame for a couple of minutes
- Done!
Notes
- to ensure the dish doesn’t turn slimy, it is important to have the Okra free of any moisture and also cook it on a realtively high flame
- Instead of dried kokum skins, we can use a marble sized ball of tamarind or a small, chopped tomato
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