Okra curry

By: Peter Kuruvita
From: My Feast
Serves: 6
Photographer: Chris Chen

If you don’t like okra because it can be slimy, try this curry and you will be converted. When I went shopping with my aunties at the fresh vegetable markets in Colombo, Sri Lanka, they always had some good advice on choosing the best produce. When it came to okra, apparently if the okra is twisted, it contains a worm, so you should only ever choose okra that is straight.

Ingredients

Quantity	Ingredient
300g	okra, trimmed and sliced on an angle
2	small green chillies, chopped
1 sprig	curry leaves, leaves picked
1 teaspoon	salt
1 teaspoon	ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon	ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon	ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon	fennel seeds, toasted and ground
1/2 teaspoon	red chilli powder
	cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon	maldive fish flakes, (see glossary)
1 teaspoon	vegetable oil
1	onion, chopped
300ml	coconut milk

Method

Combine the okra, chilli, curry leaves, spices and fish flakes in a bowl and mix together well.
Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat, add the onion and cook until golden. Add the okra mixture and cook for 2–3 minutes or until tender.
Add the coconut milk and cook for 2 minutes.