Masala Bhindi (Okra/Ladyfinger Cooked With Spices)

Masala Bhindi (Okra cooked with spices)

Bhindi is also known as Lady Finger and Okra. It can be cooked in various methods. I have already blogged Stuffed okra and Bhindi made in Kumauni (Pahari bhindi) style. My daughter in – law likes all forms of bhindi but masala bhindi is her specialty and she makes it to perfection. I share the recipe for the perfect masala bhindi which she makes.

Preparation Time:15 min.

Cooking time : 30 min.

Servings: 6 medium size serves

Ingredients Required for Making Masala Bhindi:

• 500 gm. Bhindi/Okra/Lady finger

Bhindi /Lady finger / Okra

• 250 gm. Onions

Onion

• 250 gm. Red Tomatoes

Tomatoes

• 1 tea spoon Cumin seeds

• 2-3 Whole Red Chilies

• 1/2Tea spoon Turmeric Powder

• 1/2 Tea spoon Red chili Powder

• 1Tea spoon Amchur Powder (Dry raw mango powder)

• 1/2Tea spoon Garam masala

• Salt to taste

• 10 ml. olive oil /Mustard oil any cooking oil

Directions For making Masala Bhindi:

• Wash and dry the bhindi.

• Remove the tip and base from bhindi and cut them to 1/2cm. thick rounds.

Bhindi cut to 1/2 cm. thick rounds

• Cut onions finely.

Finely cut onions

•  Cut tomatoes fine.

Cut Tomatoes

• Heat 5 ml. oil in a thick bottom wok.

• When the oil is smoking hot lower the flame and add cumin seeds and whole red chilies.

Cumin seeds Whole red Chilies in hot oil

• Cumin seeds will splutter and red chilies will change the color in 30 sec.

• Add cut bhindi in it and mix nicely.

• Cook on low flame with regular gentle stirring.

• Take another thick bottom wok and heat  5 ml. oil in it.

• Add finely cut onions in it and cook on low flame.

Bhindi added to oil and spices and being cooked with out salt

• Cook the onions and bhindi side by side to save time.

Finely cut onions being cooked on low flame

• When the onions are cooked to softness and to transparent state then add finely cut tomatoes in it.

To onions cooked to transparent state finely cut tomatoes are added

• Mix nicely and cook on low flame till tomatoes get cooked. The cooking of onions and tomatoes will take approximately 20 min.

Onion and tomato mixture ready for Bhindi to be added

• By the time tomatoes and onions are cooking bhindi will also be cooked.

Bhindi ready to be added to onion masala

• To check if the bhindi is ready to be added to tomato and onion, its texture should become soft and the slimy liquid should not be seen in bhindi. It will take approximately 20 min.

Bhindi and onion tomato mixture being cooked side by side 

• Add partially cooked bhindi to onion and tomato mixture and mix thoroughly but gently.

Bhindi added to the onion and tomato mixture and mixed

• Add salt, red chili powder, amchur, turmeric powder, garam masala and mix nicely.

Salt,Turmeric,Red chili powder,Amchur, garam masala added

• Cook on low flame without covering with regular mixing and gentle stirring for 2-3 min.

Spices mixed and cooked for 10 min

• Remove the cooked vegetable in a serving bowl and serve with roti/paranthas/puri.

Masala Bhindi

Tips:

• Bhindi should be completely dry before cutting.

• Salt should never be added to bhindi while cooking till the slimy liquid is there.

• Mix salt and other spices only when semi cooked bhindi has been added to  cooked onion tomato mixture.

• Cook on low flame and do not cover at any stage.

• This vegetable tastes best with mustard oil but olive oil is other healthy option but oil can be changed as per choice and eating habit.

Suggested Variations:

• Bhindi can be cut to 1 cm. pieces and then deep fried till they change color to dark green not brown and kept aside. Mix these deep fried bhindi in onion tomato mixture and cook.

• Amchur can be replaced by fresh lemon juice. If one is using lemon juice then it should be added and mixed in last and after adding lemon juice the vegetable should be cooked for just one minute.

Bhari Bhindi/Stuffed Okra/भरी भिंडी (Stuffed Okra)

Bhari Bhindi (Stuffed Okra)

Bhindi can be made in many different ways and in each style of cooking bhindi it tastes delicious. Bhari Bhindi is made in All over India. The filling used ti stuff Okra gives it different taste. My personal preference is North Indian Style of Bhari Bhindi.
Once I sent some home cooked food to my then would be daughter in law who was in hostel. The food was shared by all her friends and since then 4 yrs. have passed but the demand for my bhari bhindi never ends either from her friends or her. I just enjoy meeting the demands. :)

Preparation Time: 30 min.
Cooking Time: 40 - 45 min.
Servings : 3 medium servings

Ingredients Required For Bhari Bhindi ( Stuffed Okra / Lady finger)

• 250 Gm. Bhindi (Okra/Lady finger)
• 1/2 Teaspoon Salt (Or to taste).
• 1/2 Teaspoon Amchur (Dry Raw Mango Powder) 
• 2 Teaspoon. Dhaniya Powder (Coriander Seed Powder) 
• 1/2 Tea spoon Mirch Powder( Dry Red Chilly Powder)  ( Or to taste).
• 1/2 Teaspoon Haldi (Turmeric Powder) .
• 3 Teaspoons Saunf ( Fennel seeds )
• 1 Tea spoon Garam masala 
• 25 ml. Sarson oil( mustard oil) Or any other cooking oil 

 Directions  To Prepare Bhari Bhindi (Stuffed Okra/ Lady finger)

• Wash and dry the Bhindi using clean cloth.
• Remove the base and the tip.
• Split from one side length wise.

Bhindi with tips and base cut and split length wise

• Coarsely grind  saunf.( Fennel seeds)

• Mix coarsely the following  and make a uniform dry powder mixture:
• Ground saunf, 
• Dhaniya powder, 
• Chilly powder, 
• Amchur powder, 
• Salt , 
• Turmeric powder, 
• Garam masala 

Stuffing Masala for Bhari Bhindi

• Scoop little amount of this mixture of powder and fill in the split bhind till all bhindi are stuffed.

Bhindi stuffed with masala

• Keep the stuffed bhindi aside for atleast 30 min.

Stuffed uncooked Bhindi after 30min.

•  Heat oil in a wok and when the oil is hot (Not smoking hot) put stuffed bhindi and give gentle stir to the bhindi so that oil gets coated on all of them.

• Cover, put the gas on low flame and cook for 15-20 min. with stirring every now and then.



Bhari Bhindi ( Stuffed Okra)

• The texture of Bhindi will be soft when cooked and color will be darker green.

Enjoy the bhindi with Parathas, chapati or dal chawal.  :)

  Tip(s) :

• If  dry mango powder is not available at home then after coking the Bhari bhindi with all rest of the masala,just before removing it from heat sprinkle one lemon juice and switch off the gas , cover it for 5 min. and then remove in a serving bowl.
• Make sure that while splitting the lady finger the y split only from one side length wise.
• If stuffed Bhindi is kept for longer time before cooking it tastes better.

 Suggested Variations :

• Coarsely ground roasted groundnuts can be added to the masala mixture to add crunchiness.

• Fresh coconut grated or made to paste can be added to the stuffing masala for variation of the taste.
• Besan roasted to light brown color mixed with spices can also be stuffed to make Bhari Bhindi.