Deliciously flavored Bhindi Masala Recipe or Indian style okra stir fry is well seasoned and cooked to perfection. It’s mildly spicy, healthy and packed with flavors. Pair it with warm roti or serve it as a side vegetable in a thali.
Bhindi Masala is a North Indian dish that is made with a variety of Indian spices. It’s a dry sauteed vegetable made just like any other curry. It a great lunch box idea when paired with parathas or rotis.
I have made crispy okra in air fryer which is very frequent in my house but this vegan bhindi masala is extremely desired by my family.
What is bhindi masala?
Bhindi is a Hindi word for okra. Masala means sauteed onion tomatoes in spices. Therefore, it means okra cooked in onion tomato gravy and seasoned with Indian spices and herbs.
However, I tweaked this okra recipe a bit and cooked it in my mom’s style. So, I flavored the oil with mustard seeds and skipped tomatoes. It tastes so comforting and is like a dry curry masala.
Health benefits of bhindi/okra
Most importantly, it’s a green vegetable with being a great source for magnesium, folate and fiber. It’s packed with antioxidants. This vegetable is an extremely beneficial vegetable for pregnant women. It promotes heart health and controls blood sugar.
Ingredients for easy bhindi masala recipe
Olive oil
Mustard seeds
Onion
Ginger garlic paste
Okra/bhindi
Turmeric
Chili powder
Amchur
Garam masala
Kasoori methi
Salt
These are the basic staples that is mostly found in every Indian household. However, if you are new to Indian cooking then you will find these very easily in any Indian store near you.
Ingredients notes:
Bhindi – I used frozen chopped okras but fresh okras work great here and tastes delicious and even better.
Mustard seeds – it’s a very common ingredient for many Indian recipes. Its tiny round black gray balls which must crackle in oil for the perfect flavoring.
Ginger garlic paste – you may use the store bought one. However, you can easily make a paste with ¼ inch root ginger and 2-3 garlic cloves by crushing them together in mortar and pestle.
Amchur – its dry mango powder which has a nice tangy flavor to it and uplifts the flavor of this Indian ladyfinger masala recipe.
Kasoori methi – its dried fenugreek which I used in small quantity to add to its flavor and give it a nice achari aroma to it.
For detailed measurement of ingredients, please scroll down to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How to make Bhindi Masala Recipe
Prep okra/bhindi
If you are using fresh okra then make sure to wash them and wipe them dry with kitchen towel. The drier the okras the less slimy they would be. You may lay them on a flat counter overnight or for few hours in a single layer for the best results. Then, chop them into ¼ inch thickness and then measure. Keep aside.
If using frozen chopped okra then use it directly from the freezer. Measure it to 3 cups before adding to the recipe.
Sautéing and assembling
Firstly, I heated oil in a nonstick pan and let mustard seeds crackle completely.
Secondly, I tossed in sliced onions and sautéed until golden in color. Then, immediately, I mixed in ginger garlic paste.
Next, I sauteed chopped bhindi in it and let it cook until this vegetable was not slimy and more dried. I also made sure to not let this curry stick at the bottom of the pan so I stirred it at intervals.
Thereafter, I added all the spices and mixed it again.
Lastly, I turned it off and mixed in salt.
It was so aromatic and looked so delicious. My whole family enjoyed it for dinner.
In fact, I refrigerated some leftovers for the lunch box next day.
What to serve with this Indian okra curry?
Plain rice, red lentil dal or chana dal with a side salad and raita pairs well this bhindi recipe. Rotis also, pair well with it. Sometimes, I just serve it with chana pulao and raita.
Expert tips:
- Make sure to cook this vegetable really well. It is important to add salt at the end when you are done cooking but it’s still very hot and sizzling, for the best results.
- Most importantly, if you are using fresh okra do not chop very thin or very thick.
- Frozen okra may look a bit slimier while cooking but tastes equally good as fresh okras. Make sure to cook frozen okras uncovered until the slimy part is gone.
This tastes best when served immediately. However, the leftovers can be refrigerated for 3-4 days in an air tight container. Warm it well in the microwave or simply toss it in a pan on stove top.
This bhindi fry is very healthy. I have used very little oil and this recipe is all about nutritious green vegetable cooked in spices and herbs.
Okra pods are known as mucilaginous and when cooked this slimy or gooey texture is released. Due to this, okra may stick to each other. But this slimy mucilage contains soluble fiber that we can digest. It can be handled very easily if okra is cooked the right way and for a bit longer time.
My other Indian recipes that you might like:
Malai kofta
Dal makhani
Kidney Beans Spinach Masala
Vegan Seitan Cilantro Masala
Cauliflower Tikka Masala
Butter Tofu
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I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we did. I am very excited to hear back from you.
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Bhindi Masala Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 cup thinly sliced onions
- 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste (see notes)
- 3 cups chopped okra/bhindi (fresh/frozen)
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp Kashmiri chili powder/red chili powder
- 1/2 tsp amchur/dry mango powder
- 1/4 tsp garam masala
- 2 tsp kasoori methi/dried fenugreek
- salt as per taste
Instructions
Fresh okra/bhindi
- If using fresh bhindi/okra make sure to wash them first and then dry each bhindi with a kitchen towel. You may wipe and spread them on a flat counter overnight to dry as well. Once they are absolutely dry chop them round about ¼ inch thickness. Measure after chopping.
Frozen okra/bhindi
- If using frozen chopped okra then use it directly from the freezer but measure before adding in this recipe.
how to cook
- Heat oil in a nonstick pan and add mustard seeds. Let it crackle completely and then sauté onions at high flame in it until light golden in color. Immediately add ginger garlic paste and sauté for 30 seconds at medium flame.
- Add chopped okra/bhindi and sauté at high flame. Cook okra uncovered until its slimy texture is dried. Keep sautéing at intervals so as to avoid any sticking at the bottom of the pan. (Takes about 10-12 minutes).
- Once okra is almost dried add turmeric powder, red chili powder, dry mango powder, garam masala and kasoori methi. Lower the flame to medium and sauté it well with the spatula. Let it cook for another 1-2minutes.
- Turn off the flame and immediately add salt to it. Mix well and serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- I have used frozen chopped okra/bhindi in this recipe. You may use fresh okra as well.
- The leftovers can be refrigerated in an air tight container for about 3-4 days. Warm it well in the microwave before serving.
- Store bought ginger garlic paste can be used or you can make it at home. Simply peel ¼ inch root ginger and combine it with 2-3 garlic cloves in your mortar and pestle and crush as fine as possible.
- The trick to cook frozen okra is to let it cook at medium-high flame uncovered until it dries up. Mix and scrape okra at intervals from the bottom of the pan with the spatula to avoid sticking. (This may take 10-12 minutes).
Nutrition
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