Pahari Bhindi (lady finger /OkraMade in Kumauni Style)

Pahari Bhindi

We Kumauni people treat Aloo (potato) like king of all vegetables in real sense, that is why in any and every vegetable potato is added and that changes the taste of cooked vegetable completely. Potatoes are not only rich in carbs and calories(80 k cal / 100gm potatoes) but also contain Vitamin C, protein, and antioxidants.which help fight cancer. Potatoes are said to stimulate brain activities also. Bhindi is rich in dietary fibers and very low in calories (30 cal./ 100 gm approximately). So the dish of Bhindi (okra / Lady Finger) I am going to tell you does have potato accompanying the main vegetable Bhindi.

My daughter in laws one of the favorite dish and of course mine, as far as I am concerned anything which has even a small bit of Kumaon in it is my favorite, as I am true blood Pahari.

Preparation Time: 25min.

Cooking Time:30min.

Servings: 8-10 Medium helpings

Ingredients required for making Pahari Bhindi:

• 500gm. Bhindi (Okra / Lady Finger)

Bhindi (Lady Fingers / Okra)

• 2 Medium size Potatoes (100-150gm.approximately)

• 1 Tea spoon Cumin seeds

• 1/2Tea spoon Red chili Powder

• 1/2Tea spoon Turmeric Powder

• 2-3 Whole Red chilies

• Pinch of Asefoetida

• 1/2Tea spoon Garam Masala

• 1 Lemon

• Salt to Taste

• 15 ml. Mustard oil (or any other cooking oil)

Direction for Making Pahari Bhindi:

• Wash and towel dry the bhindi.

• Cut off the tip and the lower end of bhindi and keep the bhindi in a dry container.

Tips and base of Bhindi removed

• Cut the bhindi to 1cm. thick round pieces.

Bhindi cut to small pieces

• Peel, wash and cut potatoes to small (1cm.) pieces.

Potatoes cut to small pieces

• Take oil in a thick bottom wok and heat on high flame.

• Add

• Cumin seeds

• Whole red Chili

• Let the cumin seeds splutter and the chilies gain dark red color( not black)

• Add asefoetida

• Add Potato immediately and mix nicely.

• Cook for 2-3 min. with regular stirring.

• Add bhindi mix nicely.

Bhindi added after cooking potatoes for 2-3 min.

•  Add turmeric powder and chili powder and mix.

Turmeric and Red chili Powder added

Mixed nicely after adding Turmeric and Red chili Powder

• Cover and cook with occasional stirring for 10min. (the slimy liquid of Bhindi should dry off)

• Add salt and mix.

Salt added when bhindi becomes dry after cooking for 10 min.

• Cook with occasional stirring for 5 min. without covering.

Bhindi ready for adding  lemon juice and garam masala

• If you and your family like slightly crisp bhindi then cook for another 5-10 min. but without covering and regular stirring.

Bhindi cooked for 10 minutes more for making it crysp

• Squeeze the juice from lemon  

• Add lemon juice and garam masala mix and switch off the gas and cover the cooked bhindi for 5 min.

• Take out in a bowl and serve with roti, paratha, puri, chawal and dal / kadi / dubke…….

Pahari Bhindi

Tips:

• Pahari Bhindi tastes best in mustard oil so try not to change the oil.
  

• Sieve the lemon juice before adding to vegetable to make sure that seeds do not go in the vegetable.

• Pahari bhindi is Pahari because potatoes are added so do not remove potatoes from the recipe.

• Onions are never added in Pahari Bhindi.

• Add salt only after the slimy liquid of bhindi is dry and bhindi pieces separate from each other.

Suggested Variation:

• Use amchur in the absence of lemon.
• Since mustard oil adds roughly 300 cal to this preparation thus those who do not mind compromising with the tangy mustard taste can change to low calory olive oil.