Vendikkai Thayir Pachadi ( Okra With Yogurt )

          Well, today I am feeling a little lazy, might be it's the end of the week or the beginning of the weekend, whatever the reason, I have chosen a very easy dish today. A simple thayir pachadi or raitha and I love this particular one with vendikkai or okra or lady's finger, I like the ones that we get here in Chennai, they definitely justify the name lady's finger, so slim and long. It's so easy to prepare, serve it as side dish with rice or rotis or parathas..

Need to Have

• Diced Okra - 1 cup
• Curd Or Yogurt - 1 cup
• Mustard Seeds - 1/4 teaspoon
• Urad Or Black Gram Dal - 1/2 teaspoon
• Fenugreek Seeds - 1/8 teaspoon
• Asafoetida - a pinch
• Turmeric Powder - 1/8 teaspoon
• Red Chilly Powder - 1/4 teaspoon
• Salt - to taste

Method

          Heat oil, add the mustard seeds and the urad dal, once it starts spluttering add the fenugreek seeds and the asafoetida followed by the chopped okra. Saute on reduced heat for about 5 mins, till the stickiness from the okra is gone.

         Then add the salt, turmeric and chilly powders, mix and cook till crisp and done. Cool, then mix in the curd and serve.

Note
Use a flat bottom pan, the okra will come out very crispy and crunchy, and let it turn black here and there, the raitha is more tasty that way.
Use chilly powder according to your taste, or you can add chopped green chillies along with the okra and fry till crispy, also you can add some fresh grated coconut to the raitha.
Do not let the fenugreek seeds turn black, it'll taste bitter.