ladies finger curry | bhindi curry

Bhindi curry recipe with step by step photos. Sauteed ladies finger in a tangy onion tomato gravy. Gluten-free recipe.

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 recipe of Bhindi masala.

Usually I make a dry or semi dry curry with okra. 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 curry. It was damn good. I love cooking more than being a foodie. But for a reason, this bhindi curry was an exception. It reminded me of the flavor and taste of a bhindi curry I had many years back in Mumbai. The tanginess of the tomatoes complements the light sweetness of okra very well.

This bhindi gravy goes well with soft phulkas, chapatis or parathas. This mildly spiced okra curry also goes well with steamed rice.

How to make ladies finger curry

Preparation

1. First rinse 250 grams okra (ladies finger) very well in running water a few times. Then drain them completely in a strainer or colander.

2. Wipe each okra 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 on 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 (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 curry

10. In the same kadai or pan, add 2 tbsp oil. Add tej patta (Indian bay leaf) 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 okra.

22. Stir again.

23. Bring the ladies finger gravy to a simmer on a medium flame. Cook for about 5 to 6 minutes till the gravy gets infused with the aroma and flavor of the okra. Don’t cook okra in the gravy for a longer time as then they become mushy.

24. Add ½ tsp kasuri methi, crushed (dry fenugreek leaves). 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 gravy.

26.  stir the gravy again and then switch off the stovetop.

27. Serve bhindi gravy garnished with a few coriander leaves or straightaway with rotis or parathas or steamed rice.

Few more delicious recipes for you!

1. Mushroom masala
2. Vendakkai sambar
3. Paneer butter masala
4. Bendakaya pulusu (Andhra style okra gravy with tamarind)

Please be sure to rate the recipe in the recipe card or leave a comment below if you have made it. For more vegetarian inspirations, Sign Up for my emails or follow me on Instagram, Youtube, Facebook, Pinterest or Twitter.