Bhindi is a well known dry veg of Indian Cuisine. It’s widely known as Okra outside of India and it translates to Lady Finger. Raw okra is mostly made of water, and so when it cooks, the portion significantly reduces. The Spiced version of Okra is known as Bhindi Masala and is a great side dish for many Curries and Dal. This is an extremely delicious food that my whole family enjoys, and I hope you will too!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon of oil.
- 1 lb /500 grams of bhindi/okra, chopped into round pieces.
- 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds.
- A pinch of heeng/Asafoetida.
- 1 medium red onion, chopped.
- 1 green chili, chopped, or as per your taste.
- 1.5 teaspoons of coriander powder/Dry Dhaniya.
- 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder/Haldi.
- 1 teaspoon of amchur/dried mango powder.
- 1/4 teaspoon of red chili powder, or as per your taste.
- 3/4 teaspoon of salt, or as per your taste.
- Garam masala, to sprinkle on top.
- Cilantro/Hari Dhaniya for garnishing.
Instructions
1. Wash and pat the dry Okra/Bhindi properly before chopping it up. This step will remove the slimy feeling of okra.
To do this properly, wash it, and then put all the okra pieces on a paper towel (in single layer), and let them dry for some time. Pat each okra dry with a paper towel.
2.Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a pan on medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add cumin seeds, heeng, and let it sizzle for a few seconds.
3. Next, add all the spices - Turmeric, Red chili powder and salt. Mix the spices well with a spatula.
4. Add the chopped onion and saute this mix for 2 to 3 minutes on medium heat, or until it gets soft and translucent.
5. Add the chopped Bhindi/okra to the pan and mix well. Cover the pan and let it cook on medium heat for 10 minutes, and then lower the heat to low, and cook it for 15 more minutes. Open the lid and stir it occasionally.
6. After 15 minutes it will be cooked, and add the coriander powder, Amchur powder, and Garam Masala to the pan. Mix everything properly.
7. Set the heat to medium-low, and cook it for 10 more minutes without covering the pan. Stir it occasionally.
Garnish it with cilantro, and serve with Roti/Naan/Poori or as a side dish with a curry or dal. Enjoy!
