Dry Masala Bhindi
This super easy & quick dry masala bhindi is what you can make for a simple weekday meal. Pairs very well with dal and rice or chapathis
Servings 4 servings
Calories 35kcal
Ingredients
- 250-300 grams tender lady's fingers okra
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1/2 medium size onion finely chopped
- 2 fat cloves of garlic minced
- 1/2 inch ginger finely choppes
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1-1/2 teaspoons coriander powder
- 1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder adjust to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1/8 th teaspoon a fat pinch amchur (dry mango powder) * see notes
- 1/8 th teaspoon garam masala powder
- Chopped coriander to garnish
- Salt to taste
- Oil for frying
Instructions
- Wash the lady's fingers well and pat dry with a clean kitchen towel - there should be no moisture on them. Cut into 1 cm pieces (make sure that the knife or the chopping board have no traces of water either or else the lady's finger will turn sticky)
- In a heavy based wok/kadhai heat the oil and when hot, add the cumin seeds and turn slightly brown. Toss in the chopped ginger, garlic and onions and fry them on a medium heat till the onions turn golden.
- Reduce the heat and add the powders and stir for a few seconds. Add the lady's finger, salt to taste and mix everything well. The mixture will be pretty dry by now. Do not add any water.
- Cover the pan with a small lid - which almost reaches upto the level of the vegetables, a dome lid preferably and cook on a medium low heat stirring every now and then.
- The vegetables will get cooked in the steam. When the lady's finger is tender but not overcooked ( they should retain their shape and not be mushy) remove from heat.
- Garnish with chopped coriander and serve hot with rice or chapathis
Notes
1. To check tenderness of okra just break off the tail end of it, if it breaks easily then it is tender. If it feels fibrous then it is overgrown and useless. If the tail ends are missing you will need to feel the okra for its firmness. If it feels hard and unyielding, its useless. If its too soft and squishy, its gone bad already.
2. If you wish you can add potatoes to this dish. Just make sure you cut them into really tiny cubes so that the potato cooks evenly and at the same time as the okra. Please remember that while it is ok if potatoes are overcooked the okra should not be, green veggies especially should be cooked only to a point where they still retain a bite, overcooking of any vegetable will spoil its texture and kill the nutrition.
3. If you don't have dry mango powder you can sprinkle a couple of drops of lime juice just before taking the vegetable off the heat. Give it one good mix and you are done. However, don't add too much juice as it could make the okra sticky.
2. If you wish you can add potatoes to this dish. Just make sure you cut them into really tiny cubes so that the potato cooks evenly and at the same time as the okra. Please remember that while it is ok if potatoes are overcooked the okra should not be, green veggies especially should be cooked only to a point where they still retain a bite, overcooking of any vegetable will spoil its texture and kill the nutrition.
3. If you don't have dry mango powder you can sprinkle a couple of drops of lime juice just before taking the vegetable off the heat. Give it one good mix and you are done. However, don't add too much juice as it could make the okra sticky.
Nutrition
Calories: 35kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 11mg | Potassium: 246mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 535IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 69mg | Iron: 1mg