bhindi masala gravy recipe with step by step photos – this is a very good home cooked delicious curry with bhindi or okra. i have kept the ingredients basic and not added stuff like cashews, poppy seeds, melon seeds, cream etc to thicken the gravy. so anyone having indian spices and ingredients at home can easily make this delicious masala bhindi curry.
bhindi is a family favorite. hence there are many recipes posted with okra on the blog. i have already posted a semi dry bhindi masala recipe.
usually i make a dry or semi dry curry with okra like aloo bhindi, kurkuri bhindi, bhindi do pyaza. we have had bhindi masala with gravy a couple of times in restaurants. so i tried to make a restaurant version minus the cream or khoya (evaporated milk). the recipe was a success and it tasted awesome.
while writing this post, i still remember the flavors and taste of this bhindi masala gravy. it was damn good. i love cooking more than being a foodie. but for a reason, this bhindi masala curry was an exception. it reminded me with the flavor and taste of a bhindi masala i had many years back in mumbai. the tanginess of the tomatoes complements the light sweetness of okra very well.
bhindi masala gravy goes well with soft phulkas, chapatis or parathas. this mildly spiced okra curry also goes well with steamed rice.
if you are looking for some more delicious ladies finger recipes then i suggest the following recipes:
bhindi masala gravy recipe
ingredients (1 cup = 250 ml)
for tomato paste
- 3 medium ripe red tomatoes or 150 grams tomatoes or ¾ cup roughly chopped tomatoes
- ½ inch ginger (adrak)
- 4 to 5 garlic (lahsun)
- 1 to 2 green chilies (hari mirch)
- 2 tablespoon curd (yogurt or dahi)
- 2 cloves (lavang)
- 1 green cardamom (choti elachi)
- ½ inch cinnamon (dal chini)
- 1 single strand of mace (javitri)
other ingredients for bhindi masala gravy
- 250 grams bhindi (okra or lady finger)
- 1 large onion Or 2 medium onions Or 100 grams onions Or ½ cup finely chopped onions
- ½ teaspoon kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves) - crushed
- 2 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves (dhania patta)
- 1 small to medium tej patta (indian bay leaf)
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi)
- ½ teaspoon red chilli powder (lal mirch powder)
- ½ teaspoon coriander powder (dhania powder)
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder (jeera)
- 2 tablespoon oil for sauteing bhindi
- 2 tablespoon oil for making gravy
- salt as required
how to make bhindi masala gravy recipe
preparation for bhindi masala gravy
first rinse 250 grams okra (bhindi) very well in running water a few times. then drain them completely in a strainer or colander.
wipe each bhindi with a kitchen napkin. there should be no moisture on them. you can also allow them to dry naturally at room temperature, by spreading them in a large plate or tray.
chop the bhindi into 1.5 to 2.5 inch pieces. keep aside.
- in a grinder or blender jar, take 3/4 cup roughly chopped ripe red tomatoes, 1/2 inch chopped ginger, 4 to 5 chopped garlic cloves and 1 or 2 green chilies, chopped.
- add 2 tbsp fresh full fat curd/dahi/yogurt along with 2 cloves, 1 green cardamom, 1/2 inch cinnamon and 1 single strand of mace.
- without adding water, grind or blend to a smooth paste. keep aside covered.
sauteing bhindi
- heat 2 tbsp oil in a kadai or pan. add the okra and saute them on a low flame.
- stir and saute them till they are almost cooked, shrinked and lightly browned from the sides.
when done remove the sauteed bhindi and place them in a plate or tray.
making bhindi masala gravy
- in the same kadai or pan, add 2 tbsp oil. add tej patta and fry for about 5 to 7 seconds.
add the 1/2 cup finely chopped onions. stir well.
- saute the onions till they start to turn light golden.
- lower the flame. then add 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp red chilli powder, 1/2 tsp coriander powder and 1/2 tsp cumin powder.
- stir the spice powders quickly. you can also switch off the stove top while adding and mixing spices powders, so that they don't get burned.
- add the tomato- curd paste that we made before. be careful while adding ground paste as it splutters.
stir well. on a low flame saute till the masala paste thickens and you see oil leaving the sides.
- add about 3/4 cup water and stir very well. you can also add 1/2 to 2/3 cup water for a thick gravy or 3/4 cup water for medium gravy
- season with salt as required.
add the sauteed bhindi (okra). stir again.
bring the bhindi masala gravy to a simmer on a medium flame. cook for about 5 to 6 minutes till the gravy get infused with the aroma and flavor of the okra.
don't cook bhindi in the gravy for longer time as then they become mushy.
- add 1/2 tsp kasuri methi, crushed. if you want, you can also add 1 or 2 tbsp of low fat cream at this step.
stir and then add 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves to the bhindi masala gravy.
stir again and switch off the stove top.
serve bhindi masala gravy garnished with a few coriander leaves or straightaway with chapatis or parathas or steamed rice.
preparation for bhindi masala gravy
1. first rinse 250 grams bhindi (okra) very well in running water a few times. then drain them completely in a strainer or colander.
2. wipe each bhindi with a kitchen napkin. there should be no moisture on them. you can also allow them to dry naturally at room temperature, by spreading them in a large plate or tray.
3. chop the bhindi into 1.5 to 2.5 inch pieces. keep aside.
4. in a grinder or blender jar, take ¾ cup roughly chopped ripe red tomatoes, ½ inch chopped ginger, 4 to 5 chopped garlic cloves and 1 or 2 green chilies, chopped. use ripe red tomatoes which are a bit sweet and less sour or tangy.
5. add 2 tbsp fresh full fat curd (dahi or yogurt) along with 2 cloves, 1 green cardamom, ½ inch cinnamon and 1 single strand of mace.
6. without adding water, grind or blend to a smooth paste. keep aside covered.
sauteing bhindi
7. heat 2 tbsp oil in a kadai or pan. add the chopped bhindi/okra and saute them on a low flame.
8. stir and saute them till they are almost cooked, shrinked and lightly browned from the sides.
9. when done remove the sauteed bhindi and place them in a plate or tray.
making bhindi masala gravy
10. in the same kadai or pan, add 2 tbsp oil. add tej patta and fry for about 5 to 7 seconds.
11. add the ½ cup finely chopped onions.
12. stir well.
13. saute the onions till they start to turn light golden.
14. lower the flame. then add ¼ tsp turmeric powder, ½ tsp red chilli powder, ½ tsp coriander powder and ½ tsp cumin powder.
15. stir the spice powders quickly. you can also switch off the stove top while adding and mixing spices powders, so that they don’t get burned.
16. add the tomato-curd paste that we made before. be careful while adding the ground paste as it splutters.
17. stir well.
18. on a low flame saute till the masala paste thickens and you see oil leaving the sides.
19. add about ¾ cup water and stir very well. you can also add ½ to ⅔ cup water for a thick gravy or ¾ cup water for medium gravy.
20. season with salt as required.
21. add the sauteed bhindi.
22. stir again.
23. bring the bhindi masala gravy to a simmer on a medium flame. cook for about 5 to 6 minutes till the gravy get infused with the aroma and flavor of the okra. don’t cook bhindi in the gravy for longer time as then they become mushy.
24. add ½ tsp kasuri methi, crushed. if you want, you can also add 1 or 2 tbsp of low fat cream at this step.
25. stir and then add 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves to the bhindi masala gravy.
26. stir bhindi masala gravy again and then switch off the stove top.
27. serve bhindi masala gravy garnished with a few coriander leaves or straightaway with rotis or parathas or steamed rice.
The best bhindi Masala iv ever had. Was a hit at home
Thanks Namrata for sharing positive feedback.
Gosh! This dish looks really yum in the pics and the comments below make me want to try it right after I finish writing this comment. My family doesn’t seem to like the bhindi dishes I make so I need to try out something new. I am certain that, like all your other recipes this one will be super as well!
Thanks Sonia for this positive feedback. Yes this bhindi masala taste very good and it is one of our favorite recipe with okra.
Excellent restaurant style bhindi masala recipe! Must try recipe by all😊👍
thank you sushmita for this feedback.
I tried it today…really it came out very well… Thank u for this awesome recipe 😃
Welcome Swetha. Thanks for your positive feedback.
Tried making today. Getting sour taste.
sour taste is due to the kind of tomatoes used. for tomato based gravies, it better to use ripe and red tomatoes which are not too tangy. also its best to use fresh curd. the curd should not be sour. addition of some sugar or cream will balance the sour taste.