Kurkuri Bhindi | Bhindi Fry (Okra Fry)

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Kurkuri Bhindi is a spicy, tasty and super crispy fries made with tender okra pods or ladies finger, gram flour and spices. This bhindi fry is one of the best side dishes you can make to pair with your everyday Indian meals. They are also fun to eat as is with a dipping sauce. Bonus the okra fry recipe is gluten-free and vegan.

kurkuri bhindi served on a white plate.

About Kurkuri Bhindi Fry

In Hindi, Kurkuri means Crispy, Crunchy and Bhindi is Okra. This Okra Fry recipe is an easy snack or a side made with Bhindi (Ladies Finger).

It is made with fresh and tender okra pods coated with gram flour (besan), ground spices and seasonings. This mixture is marinated and then shallow fried or deep fried.

The gram flour or besan gives it a crispy texture and the spices give a bold, complex taste.

This recipe is a North style recipe that I have learned from my mom. She would make kurkuri bhindi on occasions to go with chapatis. Her recipe would include all the ground spice powders that I have added, except chaat masala powder. This is the only change I have made to her recipe. The rest of it is the same.

At times I bake and air-fried these too. The baked kurkuri bhindi fry tastes good but is not as crispy as the fried ones. But the air fried are more crispy. For health reasons, the baked ones are better. In the step by step post I have mentioned both baking and frying methods.

I do not deep fry but shallow fry with less oil. When frying, I add oil as required, so that oil gets used up and there is no excess oil.

This dish is great as a side dish with the combination of dal-rice, sambar-rice, curd-rice or even with plain chapati or paratha.

At times as a side dish, I prepare Bhindi Fry to go with dal and rice. You can serve it with bread also.

Step-by-Step Guide

How to make Kurkuri Bhindi Fry

1. Rinse 500 grams bhindi in water very well. Then wipe them dry with a kitchen napkin. Or you can spread them on a large plate and let them dry naturally. The bhindi should be completely dry before you start marinating it with spices.

There should not be any moisture or water droplets on them. Otherwise they will not become as crispy as you want.

okra or bhindi

2. Remove the crown and the base tip of the bhindi. Slice the bhindi vertically into 4 pieces. If you have small sized bhindi, then slice into 2 pieces. Take all your sliced bhindi in a big thali or a big bowl.

slicing bhindi

3. Now sprinkle the following spices and seasonings one by one on the sliced bhindi:

  • ½ teaspoon turmeric powder (ground turmeric)
  • 1 teaspoon red chili powder or paprika
  • 1 teaspoon coriander powder (ground coriander)
  • 1 teaspoon cumin powder (ground cumin)
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala powder
  • 1 teaspoon dry mango powder (amchur powder)
  • 1 teaspoon chaat masala powder
  • salt as required
adding spices for kurkuri bhindi

4. Add ½ cup gram flour (besan) on the bhindi. Instead of gram flour you can easily add chickpea flour.

adding besan for kurkuri bhindi

5. Gently mix the gram flour, spice powders and salt with the okra. Remember that the gram flour and ground spices must evenly coat all the okra slices.

mixing kurkuri bhindi recipe

6. Marinate the okra in this mixture for 20 to 30 minutes. You could also keep it for an hour. This is how they look after marination.

 kurkuri bhindi recipe after marination

Making Kurkuri Bhindi

7. If Baking Kurkuri Bhindi – Then spread the marinated bhindi on a greased tray. Brush some oil on the top of the bhindi. You can also add 1 tablespoon oil in the marination mixture and mix it very well with the bhindi.

Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees celsius, till the bhindi are crisp and golden.

baked kurkuri bhindi recipe

8. For Frying Kurkuri Bhindi – In a kadai (wok) or pan, heat 2 to 3 tablespoons oil. Fry the bhindi in batches. Depending on the size of the kadai, you can fry in 3 to 4 batches.

For each batch, you can add 2 to 3 tablespoons oil. Add the first batch of marinated bhindi after the oil becomes medium hot.

frying kurkuri bhindi recipe

9. Fry on medium heat. When one side becomes crisp, then turn over each bhindi with a slotted spoon or with the help of tongs and fry the other side.

kurkuri-bhindi-recipe11

10. Turn over a couple of times to get crisp and evenly fried bhindi.

frying kurkuri bhindi recipe

11. Do keep on turning the bhindi so that they get fried evenly. If the oil becomes too hot, you could lower the heat and continue to fry.

frying kurkuri bhindi recipe

12. Fry all the okra in the pan until golden brown and crisp on a medium heat.

frying kurkuri bhindi recipe

13. Remove fried okra with a slotted spoon, straining the extra oil from the spoon.

fried kurkuri bhindi

14. Place the fried okra on crumpled kitchen tissues on a plate, so that the excess oil is drained.

Fry the remaining batches of marinated okra adding 2 to 3 tablespoons of oil in the pan. Let the oil become hot before you add the next batch of okra.

kurkuri bhindi

15. Serve kurkuri bhindi directly as they are (the way I did) or if you want you could garnish them with coriander leaves, julienned ginger or sliced green chilis.

If you like you could also sprinkle some lime juice on top of the crispy okra. You could also sprinkle some black salt or chaat masala on the crispy fried okra.

Enjoy the bhindi fry as is like a crispy snack or with roti and a bowl of homemade curd.

kurkuri bhindi recipe

Helpful Tips for Best Bhindi Fry

  • The oil should be hot, otherwise, the bhindi will absorb oil and become soggy and not even look good on the plate.
  • Use fresh tender bright green okra pods. Try not to use okra that has become stringy or fibrous.
  • Remember that the okra has to be completely dried before you begin with the recipe. Any water or moisture on the okra will not give you the crispiness that is the hallmark of this recipe.
  • You can alter the spice powders as per your taste. Since I have used homemade garam masala and it’s very strong, I have added 1 teaspoon of it. But you can adjust the garam masala as per its quality and freshness.
  • I have shallow fried the okra. I won’t suggest deep frying as later your kadai or pan will have all the besan, spices and okra seeds leftovers in the oil. It looks like a mess.
  • Take as much oil as is needed for frying the okra so that all the oil gets used up. Thus, you don’t have a messy oil to strain or throw later.
  • The recipe can be scaled to make a small batch of bhindi fry. This dish is best eaten hot so try not to have any leftovers and make the quantity according to your needs.


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kurkuri bhindi served on a white plate.

Kurkuri Bhindi | Bhindi Fry (Okra Fry)

Kurkuri Bhindi is a spicy, tasty and super crispy fries made with tender okra pods or ladies finger, gram flour and spices. This bhindi fry is one of the best side dishes you can make to pair with your everyday Indian meals.
4.93 from 38 votes
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Cuisine Indian, North Indian
Course Side Dish, Snacks
Diet Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Difficulty Level Moderate
Servings 4
Units

Ingredients

  • 500 grams okra (bhindi or lady finger)
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric powder (ground turmeric)
  • 1 teaspoon red chili powder or paprika
  • 1 teaspoon Coriander Powder (ground coriander)
  • 1 teaspoon cumin powder (ground cumin)
  • 1 teaspoon Garam Masala
  • 1 teaspoon dry mango powder (amchur powder)
  • 1 teaspoon chaat masala
  • ½ cup gram flour (besan) or swap with chickpea flour
  • salt – add as required
  • 10 tablespoons oil or add as required, for frying the bhindi in batches

Instructions
 

Preparation

  • Rinse the okra or bhindi in water for 3 to 4 times. Wipe them completely dry with a kitchen napkin. Slice the okra vertically into 4 pieces.
  • If you have small sized okra, then slice into 2 pieces. Take all your sliced okra in a big thali or a big bowl.
  • Now sprinkle all the spice powders one by one on the sliced okra. Also add salt as required.
  • With a spoon or spatula, gently mix the spice powders with the okra.
  • Sprinkle the besan on the okra.
  • Again, gently mix the besan with the okra. The besan and the seasonings must evenly coat the okra slices.
  • Marinate the okra in this mixture for 20 to 30 minutes. You could also keep it for an hour.

Making Kurkuri Bhindi Fry

  • In your kadai (wok) or a frying pan, heat 2 to 3 tablespoons oil. 
  • Add a batch of marinated okra and fry. You can fry in three to four batches depending on the size of kadai. Add more oil if required while frying okra. 
  • Fry the okra till golden brown and crisp on a medium flame. 
  • Take care and keep on turning the okra so that they get fried evenly. If the oil becomes too hot, you could lower the flame and fry.
  • Keep the fried okra on a crumpled kitchen tissue so that the extra oil gets drained.
  • For the next batch again add 2 to 3 tablespoons oil or as required in the pan. Let the oil become medium hot and then add the marinated bhindi. For each batch add 2 to 3 tablespoons oil or as required while frying.
  • Serve bhindi kurkuri directly as they are or if you want you could garnish okra with coriander leaves, julienned ginger or sliced green chilis.
  • If you like you could also sprinkle some lime juice on top of the crispy okra. you could also sprinkle some kala namak or chaat masala on the crispy fried okra.
  • Enjoy the kurkuri bhindi fry as it is or with roti and a bowl of curd.

Notes

Tips for making bhindi fry
  • The recipe can be easily halved or doubled.
  • You can add less or more of the spice powders as per your requirements. 
  • It is best to eat this recipe when hot or warm for that crispy texture. Try not to have any leftovers. So scale the recipe according to your needs. As is this recipe serves 4.
  • Use bright green colored okra that are fresh and tender. Do not use matured okra that have become fibrous and stringy.
For baking kurkuri bhindi – then spread the marinated okra in a greased tray. Brush some oil on the top of the okra. You can also add 1 tablespoon oil in the marination mixture and mix it very well with the okra. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees celsius, till the okra are crisp and golden.

Nutrition Info (Approximate Values)

Nutrition Facts
Kurkuri Bhindi | Bhindi Fry (Okra Fry)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 191 Calories from Fat 99
% Daily Value*
Fat 11g17%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Sodium 606mg26%
Potassium 489mg14%
Carbohydrates 17g6%
Fiber 5g21%
Sugar 3g3%
Protein 5g10%
Vitamin A 1050IU21%
Vitamin C 28.7mg35%
Calcium 112mg11%
Iron 1.9mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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This Bhindi Fry Recipe post from the blog archives (first published in September 2010) has been updated and republished on 29 June 2021.

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Welcome to Dassana's Veg Recipes. I share vegetarian recipes from India & around the World. Having been cooking for decades and with a professional background in cooking & baking, I help you to make your cooking journey easier with my tried and tested recipes showcased with step by step photos & plenty of tips & suggestions.

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