Okra Fry in Micro Way Cooking

Microwave cooking need some practice and safety standards have to be followed. I love micro cooking because, it needs less oil to cook in addition to saving of time and fuel. Micro cooking retains the colour of the vegetable and overcooking of the dish can also be avoided. Only few vessels are needed to cook. In micro cooking according to the quantity of the dish to be cooked, the cooking time varies.

Okra is a wonderful vegetable used almost in all cuisines of the world. Here I cooked the traditional okra fry in microwave. This took 16 minutes in 100% micro power.

Serves: 6

Cooking time: 16 minutes

Ingredients

• Okra (vendaikai) – 600 gm
• Onion – 1 no
• Coconut – ⅛ ^th of a coconut or ½ cup grated coconut
• Red chilli powder – 1½ teaspoon (adjust according to your taste)
• Turmeric – ¼ tsp
• Oil – 2 tea spoon
• Salt – as per taste
• For seasoning
  • Mustard – ½ tea spoon
  • Urad dal – ½ tea spoon
  • Curry leaves – few

Method

I did the whole cooking in 100% micro power. I used two micro safe containers, one square and other small bowl with lids.

Step 1

• Wash, cut okra into 1½ inch long pieces; grate coconut and chop onion.
• Put okra in micro safe vessel, cover partially and cook in microwave on high for 5 minutes; stir in between once or twice; after 4 minutes add half of the salt and cook for remaining 1 minute.

Step 2

• In small micro safe bowl, add mustard, urad dal and mix with 2 or 3 drops of oil; cover and cook in microwave on high for 3 minutes.

Step 3

• Now empty the micro safe vessel by transferring okra to another normal vessel; in the same micro safe vessel add remaining oil, chopped onion, curry leaves  and cook in microwave on high for 2 minutes without covering with a lid; stir in between.

Step 4

• Add grated coconut, turmeric, red chilli powder, seasoned item, remaining salt and mix well; cook in microwave on high for 1 minute.

Step 5

• Add cooked okra, mix well and cook partially closed with lid in microwave on high for 2 minutes; then cook in microwave high for 3 more minutes in open; stir in between; now okra fry is ready; wait for 2 minutes as standing time.

• Serve with rice or chappati.

Tips

• Try to cut the vegetables evenly so that cooking will be done evenly.
• I have cut okra in long pieces to avoid stickiness in the final dish that is unique in okra.

This post is part of the event “Microwave Easy Cooking – Fresh Produce” hosted by Veggie Platter and scheduled by Cooking 4 all Seasons for October 2009.