All About IVFThis is a delicious bhindi masala recipe that I often make and is a Punjabi recipe of a semi-dry spiced okra curry – best savored with some soft phulka or roti. Gluten-free, vegan, and healthy.
“Bhindi” is the Hindi word for okra and “Masala” here refers to a sautéed base of aromatics like onions, garlic, ginger with the usual tomatoes, spices, and herbs.
So there you get the meaning of Bhindi Masala – okra cooked in a spiced tangy base of onions, tomatoes, and ground spices. The spice combination used here is often added to many Punjabi recipes.
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Ingredients
For Sautéing
- 29.57 ml oil – sunflower oil or peanut oil or any neutral oil
- 8.82 oz okra (bhindi or lady finger)
Other Ingredients
- 14.79 ml oil – sunflower oil or peanut oil or any neutral oil
- ⅓ cup finely chopped onions or 1 medium-sized onion
- 1 teaspoon Ginger-Garlic Paste or 1-inch ginger and 3 to 4 medium garlic cloves, crushed in mortar-pestle
- 1 cup finely chopped tomatoes 2 medium-sized tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder (ground coriander)
- ½ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder or ¼ teaspoon red chili powder or cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon fennel powder (ground fennel – optional
- ½ teaspoon Garam Masala Powder
- ½ teaspoon amchur powder (dry mango powder) or add as required
- salt as required
- ½ teaspoon Kasuri methi, – crushed (dry fenugreek leaves ) – optional
- 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves
Instructions
Preparation
-
Rinse the bhindi (okra) well in water.
-
Dry them on a large plate on their own or wipe them with a kitchen towel.
-
Remove the base and stalk while chopping them. Chop into 1 or 2-inch pieces.
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Also, chop onions and tomatoes. Keep aside.
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Make a paste of ginger and garlic in mortar-pestle and keep aside.
Sautéing Bhindi
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Heat 2 tbsp oil in a Kadai (wok) or pan.
-
Add the chopped bhindi and sauté stirring often till they are completely cooked. You will have to keep an eye on them and stir in between many times.
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Taste the sautéed okra and if the crunchiness is not there and the bhindi has become soft, it means they are cooked. Keep the sautéed bhindi aside.
Also Read: A carrot halwa (Gajar ka Halwa) recipe made in the traditional way
Sautéing Onions, Tomatoes, Spices
-
All the oil will be used up. So add 1 tbsp oil to the same pan.
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Add chopped onions and fry till they become translucent.
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Add the ginger-garlic paste and saute for ½ minute or till the raw aroma of the ginger-garlic disappears.
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Add the chopped tomatoes and saute till the tomatoes become soft and mushy.
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If the tomato mixture becomes too dry and starts sticking to the pan, then add about ¼ cup water. Mix well and continue to cook.
-
All the above cooking is done in an open pan and you don’t need to cover the pan with the lid.
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Add all the dry spice powders one by one.
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Mix well and saute for a few seconds.
Making Bhindi Masala
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Add the sautéed bhindi, crushed Kasuri methi & salt, and mix so that the onion-tomato masala coats the okra well.
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Cook for about 2 minutes. Stir in between.
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Then switch off the flame and add chopped coriander leaves. Mix again.
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Serve bhindi masala hot or warm garnished with a few coriander leaves and accompanied with chapati, roti or naan.
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Notes
- Okra: Buy tender and fresh okra pods. They should have a smooth, shiny look with a nice green color. They should not be dry, dense, or fibrous.
- Scaling: You can easily halve or double the recipe.
- Omitting onions and garlic: If you decide not to add onions and garlic, then when sautéing tomatoes, add a pinch of asafoetida (hing).
- Spicing and seasonings: You can add less or more of the ground spices according to your taste preferences.
- Dried fenugreek leaves: Skip dried fenugreek leaves if you do not have them.
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