Serves:

4 as a side dish; or 2 as a main

Ingredients:

• Bendi 350 grams 
• Mustard seeds 2 tsp
• Cumin seeds 1 tsp
• Curry leaves 2 sprigs 
• Shallots 5, finely chopped 
• Coriander stems 1 tbs, finely chopped
• Turmeric powder 1 tsp
• Chilli powder 1 tsp
• Ginger garlic paste 2 tbs
• Green chilli 1-2 
• Tomatoes 1-2, finely chopped  
• Yogurt/Kurd/Keffir 3tbs (Optional)
• Water as needed
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste
• Coriander 3 tbs, finely chopped 

Instructions:

1. Depending on the thickness of your bendi, cut them into about 1.5-2cm segments. If you so happen to come across monster-like bendi the size of your thumb, make them a bit smaller. 
2. Fry your bendi in a pan over medium heat, with a tablespoon of oil, until they are almost cooked through. They will start to wrinkle and char a bit on the sides. This should take about 5 – 10 minutes depending on your pan. 
3. Season your bendi along the way and when they are done set them aside uncovered.
4. In the same pan, heat about 3 tbs of a neutral flavoured oil (e.g. vegetable oil) over a medium heat and toss in your mustard seeds, cumin seeds and curry leaves. 
5. When you start to smell the aroma of the cumin and when some of the mustard seeds have started to ‘pop’, throw in your shallots and coriander stems, and fry them off for a few minutes. 
6. Just when they start to, but before they actually, turn brown, throw in your turmeric powder and chilli powder. 
7. Give everything a good mix and cook off the ground spices for about 1 minute. 
8. Then add in your ginger garlic paste and continue to cook everything for another 2 – 3 minutes. 
9. Make a whole in the centre of the pan by pushing everything to the side and add in your tomatoes to that whole. Cook off the tomatoes for about 2 minutes before stirring everything together. Then continue to cook the entire mixture for 1 – 2 minutes. 
10. Depending on your tomatoes, your mixture by now should be either thick or runny. If it is the former, add in about 100ml of water to the mix until the mixture becomes loose. Like a wavy risotto. 
11. Turn the heat down to low and over with a lid. Now let your masala mix simmer gently and get to know each other properly for a good 15 – 20 minutes. 
12. Remove the lid and season your mix with salt and pepper to taste. 
13. When your happy with your concoction, add in the bendi into the masala mix and let everything continue to simmer for another 1 – 2 minutes. 
14. Optional –  add in your yogurt/kurd/keffir and give everything good mix. Simmer for 1 minute. 
15. Turn off the heat and throw in your chopped coriander. Give everything a mix and let the bendi masala sit for about 5 minutes before serving. 

Serving Suggestions:

• With white rice 
• With any form of chapatis, dosas, breads etc. 
• As a ‘dip’ with papadums as crisps and an ice cold bevvy for a bar snack.  

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