Okra, Lady Finger, or Bhindi are the names of this delicious vegetable that we are going to feature in this recipe. These fried okras will be crunchy, and flavorful, and you’ll learn how to prepare it without slime, which can be a real challenge. They are also not over cooked to a point that there is no nutrition left. It’s an Indian recipe that is cooked with just the right amount of spices and oil.
In this recipe I am also using two of my personal favorite spices , dried fenugreek leaves also known as Kasuri Methi and Sumac. While dried fenugreek leaves are a very commonly used and unsung Indian spice , Sumac is a spice from the middle east. Dried Sumac powder is made from Sumac berries and has a tart like flavor. If you do not have sumac , you can use dried mango powder or use lemon juice. Adding a sour taste to a finished okra dish removes this green leafy flavor, that many people dislike. It also increases the palatability of the dish.
It’s important to know how to pick the best okra in the market for your recipe. When you buy bhindi, they have to make sure that it’s crisp, it’s smooth, and there’s not too much hair on it. It shouldn’t be too hard otherwise it will never cook. To check its freshness you can just snap the tip of an okra pod with your fingers, it should be really crisp.
After washing the okra, make sure you dry them with a dry kitchen cloth and after that let them air dry on the table for a few minutes. Use a completely dry knife to cut the okra. These two steps will prevent the slime from sticking to the knife and making your okras slimy. Do not wash cut okras.
When Cooking Okra it is important to let the okra sweat the moisture out and to do that you need to cook it uncovered. Since this is a dry recipe , this is a very crucial step.
Fried Okra, Indian Style
Cuisine: IndianDifficulty: Easy4
servings15
minutes20
minutes200
kcalIngredients
0.5 kg of okra
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp of salt
1 tsp of sumac (optional). Can be replaced with lemon juice (added at the end) or mango powder
1 Tbsp of fenugreek leaves
1 medium-sized onion
4 cloves of garlic
Cooking oil
Directions
- Cut the okra, garlic and onions. Remember to read the instructions I wrote earlier.
- Heat the pan on the medium heat and add some cooking oil. Add 1 tsp of cumin seeds and wait for it to crackle.
- When the seeds start to crackle, add onions and garlic and cook, until the onions become translucent. Cook on medium heat.
- Add okra, and cook without covering until ready, for about 15 minutes, on low flame. Stir it very gently every 3 to 4 minutes. Let the vegetable sweat it out.
- In about 15 minutes the Okras will appear moist and will shrink in volume. You can pick one or two and taste if it is cooked , add the spices, mix everything nicely. Cover the pan with the lid and cook for just 5 minutes more.
- When ready, add fenugreek leaves and mix everything together. Take off the heat and serve. You can also garnish the dish with fresh herbs of your choice.
Recipe Video
