BATTER FRIED STUFFED BHINDI

You see that 'two tablespoons of rice' does not really work unless we are into a balanced diet on a regular basis. The health experts say once a week can be a cheat day, for me it comes to three to four days a week. Of late, I have realised that I cannot keep my tongue under control for long, I have set it free frequently .... the world knows I love my freedom too much. Then there is someone at home who would always say the most important thing in life is to be happy..... you eat and workout. Hey, come on it does not work that way is my feeble answer..... Weight Loss is 70% diet and 30% exercise. Furthermore when I see the food fair in all the food groups I am part of, it becomes impossible to be otherwise than to cook and eat. Just when I decide to have a bowl of dal and salad for the dinner accompanied by a big piece of fish, someone would come up with a post on mutton biryani and leave me nowhere. 

It is for hilsa and mutton that I am unable to turn a vegetarian. Once I had set out of Kolkata, my taste bud has undergone a sea change and I am loving it.... chaats to fries ..... with six years of stay in this health freak island city, I do love my share of soups... steamed dumplings and other healthy spreads like Yong Tau Foo. After few hours, I will be going to the Indian market, and do you think I will come back without having a plate of my favourite Appam?.... Nah.... at Anand Bhavan they serve it with a small bowl of coconut milk and an orange colour sugar ..... whereas our dear Keralite couple friends Mitty and Anjana Matthew serve it with egg or chicken stew. Diabetes, I have made peace with you.

As weekend arrives, we have to have some snackers if we are not going out anywhere. I made these stuffed Bhindi / Lady's Finger last Saturday. Instead of preparing a curry with it, I batter fried them. Trust me you will love it this way as a snacker. I have made the stuffing with a filling made of shredded coconut and few spices. I would like it with a bowl of plain yogurt adding some black salt, ginger juice and chopped green chillies. The man and the son would enjoy with sauces. You can pair it with any kind of chutney, sauce or pickle. Come let us do this easy, vegetarian snacker / fry together and enjoy on the coming weekend. I have tried to provide few stepwise pictures for the whole process.

INGREDIENTS :[for the stuffing]

Coconut [shredded] : 1medium tea cup
Gram Flour : 1/4small tea cup
Turmeric Powder : 1/4 tsp
Red Chilli Powder : 1/2 tsp
Cumin Powder : 1/2 tsp
Coriander Powder : 1/2 tsp
Turmeric Powder : 1/4 tsp
Salt : As Required

INGREDIENTS : [for the batter]

Rice Flour : 4-5 tbsp
Gram Flour : 2 tbsp
Turmeric Powder : 1/2 tsp
Red Chilli Powder : 1/2 tsp
Sugar : 1/2 tsp
Salt : As Required

Water : As Required

INGREDIENTS : [for the fries]

Lady's Finger : 8-10[washed, dried, slitted]
The Stuffing [mixing together all of the ingredients mentioned in the section]
The Batter [mixing all ingredients together mentioned in the section adding water to get a paste like consistency]
Oil : 100-200ml to fry [the leftover can be used later]

METHOD :

Wash the lady's fingers / okras / bhindis in running water and pat dry. 

You see I did not cut the ends because I wished to hold it royally, dip it into the yogurt and take the love filled bites. Slit each bhindi from the middle! Chop off the top end but do not cut half. Take all the ingredients of stuffing in a bowl, mix well. Sprinkle little water to tighten it.

Fill in the lady's finger with the stuffing as much as possible.

Let us prepare the batter now. Take all the ingredients needed for the batter in a bowl, add water little at a time to get a paste like consistency.

Coat the stuffed Bhindi well with the batter. Heat the oil in a wok. Deep fry the batter coated stuffed Lady's Fingers at the medium to low heat till they are brown.

Serve hot and fresh with your choice of condiments.