AKA dahi bhindi masala. This is an absolute finger-lickin' recipe that is sure to wow your guests when they visit. I don't make it very often just because it involves multiple steps but I've managed to skip a few steps and multi-task to get this done in under a half hour. Serve this with phulkas or naan or roti if you manage to get your loved one to stop eating right out of the pan.

Optional pre-work :

1. Soak cashew nuts in milk for 20 minutes.

2. Dry the okra with a clean towel after washing. Add salt and let it sit for about an hour to drain excess water.

I, of course, did none of this.

Ingredients:

1. Okra AKA Bhindi AKA Vendakkai (Yes, I speak 3 languages) - 16 oz or about 500 gms (cut it anyway you like. I removed the head and cut in half)

2. Onions - 1 large (chopped)

3. Tomatoes - 2 medium (chopped)

4. Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp

5. Yogurt - 1/2 cup

6. Salt to taste

7. Masalas - 1 tsp each of Red chilli powder, turmeric, coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala, amchur powder, kasuri methi (Pretty much a combination of a bunch of masalas from your cupboard).

8. sugar - 1/2 tsp

9. Oil - 3-4 tbsp

Tadka:

1. Mustard seeds, urad dal, cumin seeds, red chilli flakes - 1 tsp

2. Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp

3. curry leaves - 4-5

To grind:

1. Cashewnuts - 1/4 cup

2. Milk - 1/4 cup

3. Coconut - 1/2 cup

Procedure:

1. Saute the okra in oil on high flame. Once you see charred marks all over (it will be almost cooked at this stage and the sliminess will have vanished), cover and let it cook through for 2 more minutes in medium flame.

(Okra tends to give out water and become soggy upon cooking. The goal here is to quickly evaporate as much water out of it as possible and then begin to cook the insides. I've cooked it this way and not once have I had soggy okra).

2. Set the okra aside, in the same pan prepare the tadka* (see note)

3. Next, saute onions and ginger garlic paste until onions become translucent.

4. Add tomatoes and all the masalas, salt, sugar and continue to cook until oil leaves the sides (or it becomes a gigantic pile of mush.) You can do step 5 in parallel.

5. Grind ingredients under "to grind" and add to the previous step once it is complete and continue to cook for 3 more minutes.

6. Add yogurt and cook for 2 minutes and now it's done!

*Tadka - heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, wait for it to splutter and then add the rest of the ingredients. Let the urad dal turn into a beautiful golden brown. This burns quickly so keep an extra eye!