Spiced Okra
Bhindi masala is an Indian vegetable dish with okra fried together with onion, garlic, tomatoes, and spices. Okra has a mild, slightly nutty flavour and a distinctive texture — when cooked properly, it becomes soft without turning slimy.
The dish is built on a simple technique. One onion is fried golden for sweetness, while another is blended with garlic and spices into a paste that adds body and depth. The okra goes in afterwards and simmers until tender. Tomatoes and garam masala are added near the end so the fresh notes are preserved.
Serve as a vegetarian side dish with chapati and dal, or as part of a larger Indian meal with rice.
Ingredients
Serves 4
- 2 large onions, peeled
- 3 tbsp ghee (or vegetable oil)
- 4 garlic cloves
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp turmeric
- 500 g fresh okra, trimmed and sliced into 1 cm pieces
- 1 tsp fresh mint, chopped
- 2 tomatoes, peeled and chopped
- ½ tsp garam masala
- salt
- black pepper, freshly ground
- fresh mint, to garnish
Directions
Slice one onion very finely. Heat the ghee or oil in a sauté pan over low heat and fry the sliced onion until golden. This takes 8–10 minutes and requires regular stirring so the onion does not scorch.
Roughly chop the second onion and place it in a blender or food processor with the garlic, a good pinch of salt, freshly ground pepper, ground coriander, and turmeric. Blend to a smooth paste. Add a tbsp of water if the blender struggles to catch.
Add the spice paste to the pan with the fried onion. Increase the heat to medium and fry for 5 minutes, stirring regularly. The paste should smell fragrant and darken slightly — this removes the raw flavour of the onion and garlic.
Add the okra to the pan and turn it so the slices are coated in the spice mixture. Cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes. Stir gently a couple of times during cooking.
Add the chopped tomatoes, fresh mint, and garam masala. Simmer uncovered for a further 15 minutes until the okra is tender and the sauce has thickened. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
Arrange on a dish and garnish with fresh mint. Serve warm.
Notes
Choose firm, green okra pods with no brown spots. Rinse and dry them thoroughly before cutting — moisture encourages the slimy texture. Some cooks sauté the okra briefly in a dry pan first to dry it out further.
Garam masala is added late so the spices keep their aroma. If you have no garam masala, use a mixture of ground cumin, cardamom, and cinnamon in the ratio 2:1:1.
The dish can be made a few hours ahead and warmed gently over low heat. Keeps in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
See Also
Cucumber Raita (Kheera Raita)
Mint Raita
Green Chutney
