Curry Wise, Kitchen Foolish!: Okra with Potatoes

Okra (bhinda) are one of my favorite vegetables. My Mom often makes them with potatoes as a side dish for the main course. I only like them as a semi dried dish, but not as a curry. I have yet to taste okra curry that I like. This recipe is courtesy of my mother, and this is her "go to" okra and potatoes recipe which she serves with the main dish of kichdi and khadhi.

Prep time: <15 minutes
Cook time: < 15 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients: 

1 lbs Okra
3 potatoes
1 large tomato 
1/2 tsp onion seeds
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp ginger & garlic paste
1/4 tsp turmeric
2 tsp tomato puree
1 tsp coriander-cumin powder
4 tbsp oil 
Oil (enough to fry okra & fries)
salt to taste

Method:

Wash the okras, and dry them on a towel (tip: never wash okra once they are cut-- otherwise they will become slimy). Then cut off the tip and slit them lengthwise. Wash and peel the potatoes, and cut them into long thin slices  (similar to french fries). Soak the potatoes in cool salted water and set it aside. Heat oil on high, and add the okras. Once they are semi crispy, remove and set it aside (cook time for the okras is less than five minutes.  You don't want to over cook the okras). In the same oil, add the potatoes and fry them to a crisp. Once done, remove and set it aside.

Chop the tomato roughly and run it through the food processor until liquidized.

In a pot add oil (4 tbsp), once the oil is hot add cumin, and onion seeds. Once they start spluttering reduce the heat to medium and add ginger-garlic paste, turmeric, tomato puree, coriander-cumin powder, and tomato sauce. Let the the mixture saute for few minutes until it thickens.  Then add okras, potatoes, and add salt to taste. Mix the ingredients well, and let it cook for a couple of minutes.