Bhindi or Okra or lady’s finger as it is commonly taught in schools and known by all – is one of the most loved vegetables in Indian homes. Kurkuri bhindi, bharwan bhindi or masala bhindi – you name the form and there will be n number of people ready to just gobble up the green vegetable – it’s that much loved by the people here. Back in school, we had to take our lunch with us. I remember being angry whenever Maa used to keep bhindi – I just hated it then. But over the years, with more understanding of taste and cooking and the fact that everyone in my family, specially my sister loves bharwan bhindi, I have also started loving this vegetable.
I was amazed to know that bhindi is called by different names in the various Indian languages. Also, it has several different benefits. So here is a very simple yet tasty bhindi masala recipe – which oh by the way, my family just devoured in one go!!!
Ingredients
- 500 gms bhindi
- 1 capsicum (chopped in small cubes)
- 3 medium onions (chopped finely)
- 6-7 tomatoes
- 3-4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 Tspn cream
- 3-4 tspn curd
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 cloves
- 2 pieces cinnamon sticks
- 2-3 green chillies
- 3 tspn red chilli powder
- 2 tspn turmeric powder
- 2 tspn coriander powder
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Wash the bhindi thoroughly and tie it in a dry cloth. Ensure that all the vegetable is dry by rubbing it with the cloth. Chop the bhindi in small 1.5 cm long pieces.
- Add 1/2 tspn oil, a pinch of salt in a pan, chopped bhindi, a pinch of coriander powder and turmeric powder - all in the mentioned order and stir fry the bhindi till it is a little black on the sides. Take it out in a pan and repeat the process with the chopped capsicums. Take them out in a pan as well. Allow both the vegetables to cool down.
- Chop the tomatoes and green chillies into small pieces and grind them together to make a fine puree.
- Take the pan in which you stir fried the bhindi and add 4 tspn of oil in it. Add the bay leaf, cloves and cinnamon sticks and put it on a medium flame and roast for about a minute.
- After about a minute of roasting or till the oil bubbles, add the minced garlic. Roast it for 5-7 seconds till you get an aroma of the garlic. As soon as you get that heavenly smell, add the chopped onions and salt. Stir the onions on a medium flame till they change the colour. This will take about 5 - 7 mins.
- Once the onions are done, add the prepared tomato puree, curd, salt and all the dry spices - red chilli, coriander and turmeric powder. Mix everything well and let it simmer on a low flame for 5-7 mins. Cover the pan with a lid while it is simmering.
- Now add the curd and stir properly. After mixing the curd, add the cream, stir well and let it simmer again for about 10 mins on a low flame till the oil leaves the sides. Cover the pan with a lid while the gravy is set for simmering.
- Once the gravy is done, add the stir fried bhindi and the capsicum and mix thoroughly so that the gravy is coated nice and fine on each of the vegetable pieces.
- Garnish with corriander and serve hot!
Lo! Your hot masala bhindi with capsicum is ready – nice and pretty to look at, healthy and tasty to eat it and the best of all – an amazingly simple recipe to follow!!
You can add and subtract the ingredients ( read curd and cream) as you like the taste – completely your choice. I just love the creamy and a little thick consistency that it lends to the gravy. But completely your say – after all, the food you prepare should make you smile and happy, right!?! 😀
Go Prepare!
Cheers!
