This Vendakkai Pachadi is a very simple recipe which is very close to my heart. I love this pachadi whenever my mother used to make it. This Air fried Okra Raita is so flavorful that you will keep coming back for more. The crunch of the fried okras makes all the difference. I have been pan-frying the thinly sliced okra until I started making it in the air fryer.
Can I use Air Fryer to make this recipe?
I made this vendakkai pachadi for the first time in the air fryer and I will never make it any other way. The traditional recipe is deep fried and I had adapted to pan frying it to make it a little healthy. Now that I used the air fryer, it cannot get healthier than this. Uses just a little oil to coat the sliced okras and that is pretty much it. Also using the air fryer is very less time-consuming and literally needs no hands-on time. Just open the fryer and shake it once in a while and we are done. Sliminess is what scares and keeps many from trying okra recipes. This air-fried okra in yogurt is just the perfect way to get over the fear. There is absolutely no sliminess in this recipe.
What to serve this okra raita
Vendakkai pachadi is crunchy and very light. The yogurt makes the dish very cooling and hence this raita pairs up very well with any prepared rice like Tomato rice, tamarind rice, or Sesame rice. This Okra pachadi is a perfect contrast with spicy rice dishes. It also goes well with Biriyani and Pulao’s. It is also one of my favorite recipes to pair with Vathal Kuzhambu. And that is exactly what I made for lunch today. Our backyard garden is blessing us with an abundance of okras. After we harvested some fresh okra this morning, I immediately thought of my mother. That is when I decided to make this Venadakkai pachadi.
Ingredients needed
We just need a handful of ingredients to make this Air fried Okra Raita. Fresh produce - Okra is the only fresh produce we need. Yogurt is another main ingredient. Make sure that you use fresh yogurt that is not sour for this Vendakkai Pachadi recipe. Check this post to make fresh Homemade Yogurt. Spices - we need mustard seeds, red chilies, and asafetida to temper our pachadi. Apart from this, we need salt to taste and a little oil.
How to make Okra Raita
Wash and clean the okras. Now slice them really thin. This is very important since this ensures even and quick frying. Preheat the air fryer to 350 F for about 2 minutes. In the meantime, coat the sliced okras with oil and sprinkle the salt needed. Place it in the air fryer basket and set it for 15 minutes. Now all we need to do is shake the basket and move the sliced okras every 5 minutes. Depending on how thin or thick you sliced the okras, they should be fried in about 15 minutes or so. Whisk the yogurt in the meantime and add the salt needed. Remember we already added salt to okra. So just add enough for the yogurt. Temper with mustard seeds, red chilies, and asafetida and add it to the yogurt. Add the fried okra to the yogurt mixture just before serving.
Always wash and dry the okra very well before chopping. This helps in reducing sliminess. Slice the okra into thin and uniform slices. This helps in even cooking the okras. Add the fried okra to the yogurt just before serving to keep the crunchy texture. If you are looking to pan-fry the okra, add about 2 tablespoon of oil in a wide pan. Saute / fry the sliced okra on low to medium flame until crunchy. Drain the okra in a paper towel-lined bowl and then proceed with the recipe.
Rice Recipes That Go With This Raita
Flatbreads That Go With This Raita
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