Photography Tips Online

Its a Surprise !!! This dotted space of mine is featured on this week’s Best of the Web . That's not done yet… I get an award too ..A creative chef’s award. How cool is that ?

Thank you Michael, the editor of Become.com for being gracious and having me over.. Above all , for considering my space worthwhile – with the good or the best effort I have put in.
Do hope over to read a more on this – Best of Web #48
Saying this , There is a lot of rising expectation from my tiny tot and its not really exposed to many of its regional food… A lot bakes and cakes and all the goodness of butter ,north Indian ,Italian and more.. .. Quite deficit in its south indies number ,with a background of a Palakkad Iyer…. How could I ??? Full stop is all I said to my self … Instead of being hesitant ,slowly stepped out from coyness & fear and  begun to work on Palakkad cuisine … I still flip pages of my handwritten notes or call the expertise ladies of the family for any doubt.

Pachadi’s are to be eaten fresh . Typically Yogurt (Thaiyir)  based are made with a vegetable chopped or fried along with coconut , green chillies or red chillies and with a tempering of mustard seeds , curry leaves or coriander leaves. They pair heaven with Molagutal  – be it the vegetable kind or with the spinach kind. I did pair my Thaiyir Pachadi with Keerai Molagutal . Aaah Let me translate.. I m sure this sounds Greek n Latin  . Its Spinach in a Lentil Coconut Gravy…. Sigh !!!

Serves : 4
INGREDIENTS:

Okra ( Vendakkai)	15 Nos
Oil	3-4 Tblspn
Grated Coconut	3 Tblspn
Green Chilly	1
Low Fat Stirred Yogurt	2 Cups
Salt	To Taste

For Tempering:

Oil	1 Tsp.
Mustard Seeds	1 Tsp.
Urd Dal (White Lentils)	1 Tsp.
Curry Leaves	10-15 No's

DIRECTIONS:

• Wash the Okra/Ladies Finger /Vendakkai  under running tap water and pat dry. Cut them into thin rounds.
• Heat oil for shallow frying . Once heated , pop in the okra’s, sprinkle a pinch of salt and fry in medium flame until brown in color… Drain them onto the kitchen towel to absorb all the extra oil.
• Grind the coconut and green chillies in the blender until fine. Increase the green chilly number to suit your chilliness.
• Onto a larger bowl , pop in the yogurt . Since its an already stirred yogurt ,I haven't done any addition stirring. Instead just added 2 tbsp. of water and stirred to suit the consistency.  If you are using a set yogurt , beat the yogurt until smooth.
• Bring together the coconut chilly mix , fried okra , salt to taste and give it it good stir in the yogurt .
• Prepare the pan for tempering by heating a tsp. of oil . When ready, pop in mustard seeds , urd dal . Once the mustard begins to crackle , drop the curry leaves in and stir for a moment. Pour the tempering onto the yogurt.
• Okra Yogurt Pachadi is ready to be served with Rice and any Molagutal .

TIPS:
Don't stir in Fried Okra until ready to dine. Else the Okra can be a bit soggy to taste.  Just add them just before the meal and enjoy the crispy okra’s in the pachadi.