MEAT AND LADYFINGERS (OKRA) CURRY or BANDYCOY AND MEAT CURRY

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.