Bhindi Masala is a lip smacking dish that'll convert any bhindi/okra hater! It's got tons of flavor and is amazing with some parathas or dal and rice. Flavored with onions, tomatoes and spices, you'll love digging into this one!
I'm so excited about sharing a firm childhood favorite with you today! The rest of the world might not understand how to cook bhindi/ bhendi/ okra but we Indians absolutely love this vegetable and know how to treat it well. So no slimy okra here. Just a really amazing vegetable that's cooked perfectly so that it still retains a little crunch and soaks up all the flavor that's added to it.
We have a gazillion ways of cooking bhindi, but this Bhindi Masala tops my list. Actually it shares the #1 spot with this baked kururi bhindi that I shared a few weeks ago.
Check out: Baked Kurkuri Bhindi (Super crunchy baked okra chips tossed in spices)
This is a quick and easy recipe that starts with stir frying some aromatics in mustard oil. Mustard oil adds a nice, smoky flavor to this recipe but you can easily swap it with any other vegetable oil. Ginger, garlic, green chillies and onions form the base of this stir fry, and then once the okra is 80% cooked with spices, a roughly diced tomato is added for a little sourness and tang.
The biggest complaint I hear when I talk about bhindi or okra is its slimy texture. So here's the thing, this is a special vegetable and if it's not treated well, it can become slimy.
How to cook bhindi/ okra so it's not slimy
- Always make sure you wash and pat dry bhindi before cooking. Moisture is what adds to the sliminess. I always wash it in a colander and then spread it out on a kitchen cloth or tissue paper and pat it dry. If possible, you can wash it a few hours ahead and just let it air dry.
- Add a souring agent while cooking. This can be amchoor or raw mango powder, tomatoes etc. The souring agent helps cut out the sliminess.
- Don't cook it covered. Always make sure to cook bhindi uncovered. Any moisture that gets trapped when its covered will make it slimy.
- Don't stir fry it too much. Once you add bhindi and mix all the ingredients, let it sit and cook on its own. Stir it once in a while so that it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan.
Also check out more tips about cooking okra so it's not slimy
You'll see a few different versions of bhindi masala. How its cooked can depend on which part of India the recipe comes from. This one is a punjabi bhindi masala with spices like turmeric, chilli powder, amchoor powder and coriander powder. Along with the onions and tomatoes, they coat the bhindi and form like a dry curry around it. Soooo good!!
More Veg Indian Quick Lunch recipes
- Kurkuri Bhindi
- Easy Bhindi Masala (Spicy Okra Stir Fry)
- Potato Cabbage Fry (Patta gobhi aloo sabzi)
- Quick Aloo Pyaz Sabzi (Potato Fry)
- Dal Fry
- Dal Tadka
Watch Bhindi Masala Recipe Video
Easy Bhindi Masala
Ingredients
- 400 grams Bhindi / Lady Finger / Okra
- 3 tablespoon Mustard Oil
- 1 teaspoon Ginger finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon Garlic finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon Jeera / Cumin seeds
- 2 Red Chillies whole
- 1-2 Green Chillies diced (optional)
- 1 cup Onions diced
- ½ cup Tomatoes chopped
- 2 tablespoons Coriander Powder
- ½ teaspoon Kashmiri Chilli Powder / Paprika
- ½ teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon Amchoor / Dry Mango Powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons Salt
- 2 tablespoon Coriander / Cilantro freshly chopped
Instructions
- Wash and wipe the bhindi well. This ensures that the bhindi is not slimy when its cooked. Cut each bhindi diagonally into 1 inch pieces.
- Heat oil in a frying pan, add ginger and garlic. Sauté for 30 seconds and add cumin seeds, red chillies and green chillies. Cook them for another 30 seconds and add the onions.
- Stir fry the onions on high heat and then add the bhindi. Cook the bhindi, while stirring occasionally on a medium flame for 3-4 minutes.
- Next add all the spices and tomatoes and stir fry till the bhindi is cooked and the tomatoes turn just tender. Serve hot, garnished with some fresh chopped coriander. This goes really well with dal and rice or chapatis.
Sushant Hardikar says
Hi Richa, I live in Baltimore. This is the BEST okra recipe I have ever seen/made/tasted. I have made this so often now….and I have many okra-haters now converted! Thank you so much for your recipes. Just tried the Kung Pao Chicken and Tomato chutney recipes……..
Your site is my bible in the kitchen!
Cheers, keep them coming, please!
Sushant
Richa says
Thanks you so so much Sushant!
Shivangi Nanda says
Followed this recipe to the T and it turned out so good! Also was my first time cooking bhindi, since I'm a beginner, but this is just the place to find doable recipes that taste great!!!
Richa says
You are so sweet! Really glad you liked this one