Crispy Okra Juliennes, With Tamarind & Date Chutney : VEGAN / PALEO

Who doesn't like crispy fries?! I am a crispy food addict and require at least something crispy with every meal to be happy. So I'm sure you won't be surprised to know that I totally love a whole meal of crispy delight! The thing about eating crispy food is you have to have a good sauce or dip with it.

This recipe includes one of my favorite and healthy dips made from the lovely sour tamarind, blended with the sweetness and goodness of dates. When you add the right spices to it, you end up with a full bouquet of flavors and aromatics that totally fulfill your palate.

This is a great snack or a meal on its own. I ate this a meal served with yellow (turmeric) rice. The sauce also goes very well with rice and I finished the whole plate full without any trouble. Since you always want to eat fried food as soon as its cooked, its worth preparing the chutney in advance. It will keep for several days or even weeks and you can use the extra to put on a papadam, or toast!

I like to have some kind of health element to my meals, especially when they are nice and greasy like this dish. Here are some of the health benefits of todays ingredients.

All About Tamarind!

Deliciously tangy and one of the most highly prized natural foods in South Asia, the tamarind – the melodic name of which comes from the Persian "tamar-I-hind," meaning "date of India" – is gaining recognition and appreciation throughout the world. Said to be native to Africa, this exotic fruit grows on exceptionally tall trees of the fabaceae family, such as peas, beans, and other legumes, mostly in the warmer, dryer areas of Asia, Mexico, and India.

Each 100 grams of tamarind contain impressive amounts of essential nutrients, including 36% of the daily recommended value in thiamin, 35% in iron, 23% in magnesium, and 16% in phosphorus. Other prominent benefits include niacin, calcium, vitamin C, copper, fiber, and pyridoxine, proving it to be a uniquely beneficial food.

Traditional uses for tamarind include relief from stomach and digestive ailments, fevers, sore throat, rheumatism, inflammation, and sunstroke.
(source)

• Digestive Health. Tamarind has long been considered a natural laxative, and its dietary fiber content probably has something to do with it.
• Heart Health.
• Improves Circulation.
• Nerve Function.
• Promotes Weight Loss.
• Manages Diabetes. .
• Anti-inflammatory Capacity.
• Boosts Immunity.
  (source)
  

Here's Why Dates Are Great!

If you're looking for fiber, potassium, or copper, look no further than dates. While dates are rich in many vital nutrients and therefore offer many health benefits, the fruit is so small that you'll need to consume a larger quantity to intake the necessary amount.

The following nutritional data outlines some of the key nutrients found in dates, and is based on a 100g serving of the fruit.

Fiber – 6.7 grams. 27% RDA.
Potassium – 696 milligrams. 20% RDA.
Copper – 0.4 milligrams. 18% RDA.
Manganese – 0.3 milligrams. 15% RDA.
Magnesium – 54 milligrams. 14% RDA.
Vitamin B6 – 0.2 milligrams. 12% RDA.

• Weight loss.
• Relieving constipation, supporting regular bowel movements.
• Promoting heart health, reducing heart disease risk.
• Diarrhea.
• Iron-deficiency anemia.
• Reducing blood pressure.
• Impotence.
• Promoting respiratory and digestive health.
  (source)

Ok, so now I think you are ready to see how to make this dish. Enjoy!

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1. Tamarind & Date Chutney

What You Will Need?

 

• 2 cups water or more for a thinner sauce
• 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
• 2 teaspoons coriander seeds
• ½ teaspoon fennel seeds
• ½ cup dates (stones removed)
• ½ cup tamarind from fresh tamarind (stones removed)
• ½ cup jaggery or brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon red chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ginger powder
• 1½ teaspoons rock salt

How To Make The Tamarind & Date Chutney !

1. Start by dry roasting the cumin seed, coriander seed, fennel seed in a dry heavy pan on medium to high heat. Roast for 2-3 minutes being careful not to burn them. When you can smell the aromas release that is the time to turn off the pan and transfer the mix to a bowl.
   
   
2. Powder the spices up by hand or with a good grinder. I used my mortar and pestle today. I'm sure it helps it to taste better!
   
   
3. In a big pan add the dates, tamarind, sugar and water and mix on low heat. Slowly bring to a boil and simmer gently for about 4 minutes. The more you cook it, the thicker the chutney will get.
4. Add the spices. It should be looking something like this.
   
5. Keep stirring and add the chili powder, ginger powder and salt.
6. Turn the heat back up to medium and cook for a few more minutes and the mixture is thick.
7. Leave to cool and finally blend in a good grinder until it is a totally smooth glistening paste.
   

2. Crispy Fried Okra

What You Will Need?

 

 

• 250 grams Okra
• 2 tablespoons of plain vinegar
• 1 teaspoon fennel seed
• ½ teaspoon cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• ½ teaspoon chilly powder
• ½ cup chickpea flour (basen flour)
• Vegetable Oil Suitable For High Temperature
• 50g cashew nuts or 2 tablespoons of sesame seeds. (optional)
  

How To Make Crispy Fried Okra

1. Wash the Okra and cut from each side into thin juliennes. Remove and discard the seeds.
2. In a big bowl add all the ingredients except for the chickpea flour.
3. Mix well by hand so everything is covered well.
4. Sprinkle two-thirds of the chickpea flour on the mixture and mix again by hand gently.
5. Finally add the remaining chickpea flour and mix briefly.
6. If you want to add a delicious nutty element you can also add crushed ground cashew nuts, peanuts, or sesame seeds to this.
   
   
7. Heat the oil up in a pan until very hot.
   
8. Add the Okra and leave for several minutes.
9. Turn the Okra around and mix gently and continue frying until you see the colour start to change to a golden brown.
   
   
10. Drain well and blot the excess oil off using some kitchen paper.
11. Eat this fresh and hot. It is also quite nice cold!

Now bring everything together and you are ready to feast!

Thanks for making it RIGHT to the end. The crispy okra went SO well with the rice and that dip I can't tell you! Just don't overdo it on the chutney as tamarind does have a laxative effect, as do dates! Now I come to mention it, that explains something!

 

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