MEAT AND LADYFINGERS (OKRA) CURRY or BANDYCOY AND MEAT CURRY
A favourite curry dish in many Anglo-Indian homes. Anglo-Indian
Cuisine over time, took on many regional influences and a lot of local
ingredients were added depending on the region. Many local words were
incorporated in their conversations and new names were given for almost
everything depending on how they were able to pronounce the vernacular words. One
example would be The Tamil and other South Indian word ‘KAI’ meaning
‘vegetable’ which eventually became ‘Coy’ in English. Vegetables such as
‘BANDICOY’ for lady fingers / Okra”’ from the Tamil Word ‘Vendaikai, or the
Kannada word ‘Bendaykai, etc, became part and parcel of Anglo-Indian Cuisine
Ingredients
½ kg beef or mutton /
lamb cut into medium size pieces
½ kg tender
Ladyfinger / Okra / Bandycoy
2 onions chopped
finely
1 teaspoon ginger
garlic paste
2 teaspoons mild
chillie powder
1 teaspoon coriander
powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
powder
2 medium size
tomatoes chopped
1/2 cup coconut paste
or coconut milk
2 tablespoons oil
Salt to taste
Wipe the lady’s finger / okras with a
dry cloth then cut them into 2 inch pieces. Discard the ends.
Boil the meat with sufficient water and
a little salt till tender.
Heat oil in a pan and add the onions
and fry till golden brown. Add the tomatoes, chillie powder, salt, coriander
powder, cumin powder and ginger garlic paste and sauté for a few minutes till
the tomatoes turn pulpy and the oil separates from the mixture.
Add the coconut paste or coconut milk
and stir fry for 2 or 3 minutes.
Now add the lady’s fingers / okra and
the boiled meat and mix well. Add the left over meat stock / soup or 1 cup of
water and cook on low heat till the lady’s fingers / okras are just cooked,
taking care not to overcook them.
Serve as a main curry with rice.