Bhindi Stir Fry

I know bhindi, also known as okra and ladyfingers, is not everyone's favorite vegetable, mainly because it is slimy and can get messy. They may be slimy, but they sure are delicious when cooked with the right spices. Bhindi is not Bhavnesh's favorite, either. He will eat bhindi, but just prefers not to. In an effort to sway his taste in my favor, I made bhindi stir fry for dinner tonight.

15-20 bhindis

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 tomato, finely chopped

3-4 green chilie, slit lengthwise

3-4 garlic cloves, crushed

1/2" piece of ginger, grated

1 tbsp coriander powder

1 tbsp red chili powder or white pepper powder

1/2 tsp turmeric

Pinch of garam masala

1-2 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

Pinch of asafoetida powder

Salt to taste

1 tsp sugar (optional)

2 tbsp oil

1 tbsp chopped cilantro for garnish

Shredded coconut for garnish

1. Wash the bhindi and lay out to dry for about an hour before cooking.

2. Once dry, chop the bhindi into 1" pieces, then slice in half and then again in quarters. You could also just leave them in the 1" pieces if you prefer. [I chopped into quarters to see if the manner in which you chop veggies, actually makes a difference on the taste of the veggie.]

3. Heat 1 tbsp oil in skillet. Add the bhindi to pan and sautee for 5-7 minutes until they turn golden brown. Remove the cooked bhindi into dish.

4. Heat up same pan with 1 tbsp oil. Add in the mustard seeds. When they begin popping, add the cumin seeds. Once thet crackle, add the chopped green chilies, ginger, and garlic.

5. Then add in the asafoetida and onions and sautee onions until golden brown.

6. Next, add the tomatoes, turmeric, red chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala, salt, and sugar.

7. Cook tomatoes for a few more minutes before adding cooked bhindi to pan.

8. Mix in the bhindi and lemon juice. Stir for about 3-5 minutes and mix together to allow all the spices to come together.

9. Remove from flame and garnish with chopped cilantro and shredded coconut.

For dinner, we had this bhindi fry with roti and a side of Gujarati kadhi and papadum. See my previous post for Gujarati khadi for that recipe. Hope you enjoy!