Bhindi Masala

5 from 14 votes

Bhindi Masala is a popular Indian recipe wherein Bhindi/okra is cooked an onion tomato masala till it softens. It pairs well with flatbreads or as a side dish served alongside rice and lentils. It is a One Pot Dish, naturally Vegan and Gluten Free.

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Total Time30

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Indian

Servings: Persons

Calories: 182kcal

Author: Neha

Equipment

1 Wok/Pan with lid

Ingredients

4 Tablespoons Oil
1 Pound Okra
1 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
1 and ½ Teaspoons Garlic
1 Teaspoon Ginger
1 small Yellow Onion (even red onion can be used)
1 medium Tomato
1 and ½ Teaspoons Coriander Powder
½ Teaspoon Turmeric powder
¼ Teaspoon Garam Masala
½ Teaspoon Red Chili Powder
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Amchoor Powder

Instructions

Pre-Preparation:

Rinse okra well with water and wipe each one of them individually with a kitchen towel. Spread okra on cotton towel over counter top for some time to allow them to dry out completely.
Now discard the tip and also the tail of each okra (around ½ inch from both ends) and chop them in round shape. I like to keep them around ⅓ of an inch thick.
Also chop onion, tomato and garlic. Grate some ginger and set it all aside.

Stir Frying the Okra:

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a wok/pan over medium high heat and add chopped okra to it. Give okra a quick stir and allow it to cook, uncovered for 6-8 minutes. The okra will turn dark green, slightly crisp and almost cooked at this point. Stir frequently!
Now remove okra in a plate/bowl and set it aside.

Making the Onion-Tomato Masala:

Now in the same pan, over medium heat, add the remaining oil and add cumin seeds when the oil gets heated. Allow cumin seeds to crackle then add chopped garlic.
When the garlic is sauteed, add onions. Stir and sauté them for a while. Now add in grated ginger and continue to cook onions till they get golden brown in color and soften. About 5-6 minutes.
Next goes in chopped tomato and also add the following spices-
-Coriander Powder
-Garam Masala
-Turmeric Powder
-Red chili Powder
-Salt
Give the masala a good mix and continue to cook tomatoes till they get mushy and the masala gets thick. About 4-5 minutes.
Remember not to keep masala too runny. We don't want much moisture in the masala when we add okra to it.
Now add in pre-cooked okra (bhindi) and set the heat to low. Mix the okra well with the masala and cover the pan with lid. Continue to cook for 8-10 minutes on low heat and allow all the flavors of spices to blend in with bhindi.
Stir in between to avoid the okra from sticking to the bottom of the pan/wok.
Now open the lid and cook for another 1-2 minutes to allow the remaining moisture to evaporate out of okra. Sprinkle dry mango powder and cook for about a minute or two.
Serve hot with Indian flatbread or as a side with lentils and rice.

Notes

Don't skip drying the okra well before chopping and stir fry it uncovered for slime free bhindi.
Dry Mango Powder: It can be replaced with fresh lemon/lime juice. Squeeze it right before serving the okra.
Onion: You can slice onion in ¾ of an inch thin slices too instead of chopping them small. That way onions retain a little more texture and bite to them after okra is cooked.
Tomato: You can even skip tomatoes and cook bhindi in just onion, ginger and garlic masala. Increase the quantity of mango powder by ½ teaspoon if required.

Nutrition