This okra fry recipe, also known as fried bhindi masala, is a simple yet delicious vegan side dish recipe that pairs well with hot-off-the-griddle chapatis or Indian rotis. Bhindi, also known as okra, is a very popular summer vegetable in India and is highly preferred by those who prefer vegetarian meals.
This simple bhindi recipe needs some time and patience, but in the end, it gives a delicious dish for weekday dinners. Like several other Bengali recipes, this is completely gluten-free, dairy-free, and nut-free.
Okra, Bhindi, or Lady Finger is an excellent source of essential vitamins and minerals. Additionally, bhindi has dietary fibre, which is good for gut health too. In this post, I have shared some tricks & tips on how to manage the sliminess of okras in your recipe, along with the recipe for bhindi fry.
Ingredients for Bhindi Fry
- Bhindi or Okras – for a meal for 3 people, you will need at least 500 gms of bhindi or okra, as it shrinks a lot during cooking
- Onions
- Ginger
- Green Chilies
- Mustard Oil – an alternate would be any other oil
- Lemon Juice – an alternate would be vinegar
- Salt
Recipe instructions for this bhindi sabji recipe
- Slice the bhindis as thin as possible. Discard the heads and then slice up the entire body of the veggie. Finely chop the Onions and grate the ginger
- Heat some mustard oil in a wok or kadhai and add the sliced bhindi or okra, onion, and ginger
- Give everything a good stir and let it cook on medium heat
- Once you see the bhindi or okra soften up a bit, add turmeric powder and chopped green chilli
- Keep frying them till they reduce and turn dark brown
- At this stage, it won’t be slimy at all, so now you should add salt. Give it a very good mix and turn off the heat.
- Drizzle some lemon juice and serve hot with hot rotis or chapatis, or dal & rice
Serving suggestions
This bhindi ki sabji is the perfect side dish to go with rotis for a vegetarian dinner meal. I like to serve some raita and achaar with this.
Tips & tricks for making bhindi fry or cooking okra
Okras or Bhindis are quite infamous for their sliminess. Often, people find themselves in a difficult position while preparing this vegetable. With the following tips and tricks, it should be easier for you to cook this vegetable next time.
- Always wash the okras or bhindis before chopping them. Give them a thorough wash and spread them over a dry kitchen towel. Let them dry completely before you start chopping them
- Before chopping, rub some oil on your chopping board to avoid stickiness
- During cooking, do not add water. The sliminess is due to the soluble mucilage, which will become worse upon the addition of extra water
- Do not add salt at the beginning of the cooking; otherwise, it will become slimy
- Always add something acidic in nature to reduce the sliminess, for instance, lemon juice, vinegar, tomato puree, etc.
Why will you LOVE this easy Bhindi bhaji or Okra fry recipe?
- Fresh and seasonal ingredients. Okras or Bhindi is abundantly available in the summer. Which means throughout the better part of the year. So, this bhindi fry recipe is an excellent way of including local and seasonal produce in your meals
- Comes together in no time. If you need a simple side dish to jazz up your meal, then this easy bhindi ki sabji recipe is your answer
- Simple and pantry staple ingredients. All you need is fresh okras or bhindi, onions, and ginger. Simple ingredients that give a delicious dish
- Perfect side dish recipe to go with rotis or with rice & dal.
Benefits of including Okra or Bhindi in the daily diet
I believe eating seasonal, fresh vegetables has some major benefits. Okras or Bhindis (also known as Lady’s Finger) are available throughout the summer months of April to September, even till later.
In Southeast Asian countries like India, Bhindi is very popular, mainly because it is nutrient-dense and abundantly available. It is rich in vitamins and minerals such as calcium and phosphorus, and also comprises a high percentage of dietary fiber.
This crispy bhindi fry recipe is my family’s favourite. It needs a handful of ingredients and some time on your hands to bring together this delicious bhindi masala recipe. It has a delicate flavour of ginger and green chillies and goes amazingly well with ghee-slathered soft Indian rotis. This bhindi fry recipe is the perfect dinner side dish recipe to go with chapattis or Rotis.
More Indian vegetarian recipes
- Turai ki Sabji | Jhinge Aloo Posto Recipe
- Aloo Bhindi Sabji Recipe
- Bhindi Stir-fry Recipe
- Aloo Beans Sabji Recipe
- Kathal Korma Recipe
- Dondakaya Kali Mirch | Kundri Sabji | Ivy Gourd Stir-fry Recipe
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Bhindi Fry | भिंडी की सब्जी | Okra Fry
Equipment
- 1 Heavy bottom Non-stick Pan
- Stove Top
Ingredients
- 250 gms Bhindi or Okra Finely sliced
- 1 Onion large, finely chopped
- 1 inch Ginger Grated
- 2 Green Chilies Finely Chopped – adjust as per taste
- 4 tbsp Mustard Oil
- Salt as per taste
- 2 tbsp Lemon Juice
Instructions
- Finely chop the Okras, Onions and Green Chilies and keep them aside.
- Heat oil in a pan and add the okras or bhindi, onion, grated ginger and green chilies.250 gms Bhindi or Okra, 1 Onion, 1 inch Ginger, 2 Green Chilies, 4 tbsp Mustard Oil
- Keep the heat on medium-high and fry everything together. You will notice some sliminess in the beginning. However, as you continue cooking for the next 4-5 minutes, the sliminess will reduce.
- Keep stirring the okras and spread them in the pan so that there's uniform frying.
- Once you see that they have softened and there's no sliminess, add salt.Salt as per taste
- Turn off the heat and add lemon juice. Mix everything well and serve.2 tbsp Lemon Juice
Notes
This post was first published on December 13, 2019, and later republished on April 27, 2024, with a more elaborate description of the recipe.
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