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Bhindi masala gravy
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Bhindi masala gravy

Bhindi masala gravy or okra curry is a delicious spicy & tangy curry made with shallow fried okra, simmered in an onion-tomato-curd paste with fresh Indian spices.
Prep Time10 mins
Active Time30 mins
Total Time40 mins
Course: Curries, Main Course
Cuisine: North Indian, punjabi
Keyword: Bhindi masala gravy
Yield: 4 Servings
Calories: 185kcal

Materials

For marinating and frying bhindi/okra:

  • 250 gms Bhindi/okra
  • 2 tbsp Besan or gram flour
  • 1 tsp Red chilli powder
  • Salt as per taste
  • ¼ cup Oil for shallow frying marinated okra

For making Bhindi masala gravy recipe:

  • ¼ cup Oil
  • 1 tsp Jeera/ cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp Rai/mustard seeds
  • ¼ tsp Hing/ Asafoetida
  • 7 - 8 Curry leaves use fresh leaves if available.
  • 1 medium Onion finely chopped or grated
  • 2 Green chillies deseeded & finely chopped
  • 1-inch Ginger finely chopped or grated
  • 4 Garlic cloves finely chopped or grated
  • 1 tbsp Coriander powder
  • 1 tsp Red Chilli powder/ lal mirch powder
  • ½ tsp Haldi/ Turmeric powder
  • 2 Tomatoes finely chopped or grated or pureed
  • ⅓ cup Whisked curd or dahi
  • Salt as per taste
  • ¼ cup Water to adjust consistency
  • 1 tsp Garam masala
  • 1 tbsp Crushed kasuri methi or dry fenugreek leaves
  • Handful of freshly chopped coriander leaves

For serving:

  • 1 small Onion Sliced in rings
  • Pinch of salt
  • Pinch of cumin powder
  • Pinch of red chilli powder
  • 4 - 5 Lemon wedges
  • Accompaniment of your choice - naan. paratha or rice etc

Instructions

For marinating and frying bhindi/okra:

  • Rinse the okra (bhindi) in water for a couple of times. Dry the bhindi with a kitchen towel or spread them on a plate and let them dry on their own. Trim off the head and tail of the bhindi. Chop the bhindi in 1-inch pieces.
  • Transfer the chopped bhindi in a large mixing bowl. Add dry spices for marination - besan, red chilli powder and salt.
  • Mix everything in the bowl together either using a spatula or by tossing it. I prefer tossing bhindi, this way it doesn't get mushy and stays crisp. Let it rest for 10 mins.
  • Heat some oil in a pan or kadhai and transfer the marinated bhindi in the oil. Give it a nice mix and shallow fry it on medium flame.
  • Occasionally stit them and cook until it is almost cooked, shrunk and browned from the sides.
  • When it is cooked, remove the shallow fried bhindi from pan and place them in a bowl or plate or tray.

For making Bhindi masala gravy recipe:

  • Heat a ¼ cup of oil in the same pan and add jeera, rai, curry leaves and hing. Saute till rai & jeera starts spluttering.
  • Then, add finely sliced onions into the pan and saute till it turns translucent and golden brown in colour.
  • Add chopped garlic, ginger and green chillies into the pan and saute till it is cooked and raw smell of garlic goes away.
  • Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and mix it nicely with the onions.
  • Add pureed tomatoes into the kadhai and give it a nice mix.
  • Once, the onion-tomato mixture is cooked, add ⅓ cup of whisked curd or dahi into the kadhai. Turn the flame on low and mix dahi with the onion-tomato mixture.
  • Simmer the onion-tomato-dahi mixture for a couple of minutes on medium flame. Oil starts to release from the mixture.
  • Now, add the shallow fried okra/ bhindi and salt as per taste.
  • Gently mix the fried bhindi with the masala mixture. Make sure not to mash the bhindi with a spatula.
  • Add water to adjust as per desired consistency. And stir again.
  • Bring the okra curry to a simmer on a medium flame. Cook for about 5 to 6 minutes till the curry gets infused with the aroma and flavor of the okra.
  • Lastly, add crushed kasuri methi, coriander leaves and garam masala. Stir again and turn off the flame.
  • Serve bhindi masala curry garnished with a few coriander leaves and spiced onion slices or straightaway with chapatis or parathas or steamed rice.

Notes

  • When buying okra make sure that they are long, fresh looking and dark green in colour. Don’t buy those who have blemishes, cut or leaked internal juice. 
 
  • How to avoid the sliminess –
    1. Okra should be dry before you chop them.
    2. Keep cleaning the knife as soon as it gets sticky.
    3. While cooking okra stir only 2 or 3 times only. If you stir continuously, chances are it would become more slimy.
 
  • While cooking the okra, make sure that okra is soft yet it has a crunch. It should hold its shape & not get mushy