Dahi Bhindi (Okra in Yogurt Sauce)

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Dahi bhindi is a delicious and flavorful dish of sauteed tender cooked okra in a smooth, creamy, lightly spiced and tangy yogurt sauce. This tasty recipe of dahi wali bhindi is a delight to eat with some hot Roti or Naan. The next best accompaniment is steamed basmati rice or cumin rice.

dahi bhindi served in a white bowl.

The sauce or gravy is tangy and lightly spiced. I have used pureed tomatoes in the sauce which gives a tang. So along with the yogurt, there is a sourness, tang. And a subtle sweetness due to cashews, gram flour and cream. The addition of gram flour or besan does not allow the yogurt to curdle.

The okra or bhindi is sauteed in oil till they are completely cooked. This technique also gets rid of the sliminess in the okra. The gravy or sauce is then made and the sauteed okra are added to it. The end result is the soft succulent pieces of okra in a smooth creamy tangy sauce.

This is one of our favorite okra based dish apart from Bhindi Masala, Bhindi Fry (Kurkuri Bhindi) and Bhindi do Pyaza.

This dish is made of 3 main ingredients – okra, curd (yogurt) and tomatoes. So keep in mind to use the okra pods that are fresh, tender and crisp. Avoid using mature okra pods that have become fibrous and stingy.

For the curd or yogurt it is important to use fresh one and make sure it does not taste sour or very tangy. I recommend using homemade Curd as that is what I include in all my recipes that have yogurt.

Remember that the tomatoes also have to be ripe and sweet. If the tomatoes are sour the sauce or gravy will have a more tangy taste and will spoil the balance of the dish. If in case the sauce has become tangy then add about ½ to 1 teaspoon of sugar.

Step-by-Step Guide

How to make Dahi Bhindi

1. Rinse 200 to 250 grams of bhindi (okra) in water a couple of times. Then dry the bhindi with a kitchen towel or spread them on a plate and let them dry on their own.

Ensure that they are dried completely and have no trace of water on them. Otherwise, they can become slimy or sticky while chopping and cooking.

ladies finger spread on a cloth

3. Trim off the head and tail of the okra. Chop the okra into 1 inch pieces. Keep an eye while chopping for any worms or black spots. If any then discard that okra.

Set aside the chopped okra.

chopped bhindi in a white plate

3. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan. Add the chopped bhindi. You can use any neutral-flavored oil.

chopped bhindi in a pan with oil

4. Saute for at least 8 to 10 minutes on low heat till they change color and are softened and cooked.

sauteing the bhindi

5. Remove the sauteed bhindi in a bowl and keep aside.

sauteed bhindi in a plate

6. Add 2 medium-sized chopped tomatoes and 6 to 7 cashews to the blender or chutney grinder.

chopped tomatoes and cashews in a grinder jar

7. Puree the tomatoes and cashews to a smooth and fine paste. There should not be any small chunks of cashews in the paste. No need to add any water while blending to a paste.

tomato cashew paste in the jar

8. With a wired whisk, whip ½ cup fresh yogurt (curd) till smooth. Make sure that the curd is not sour or too tangy.

whisking curd in a bowl

Making dahi bhindi

9. Heat the same pan in which we sauteed the bhindi. Add 1 tablespoon oil or ghee. Crackle ½ teaspoon cumin seeds first.

crackling cumin seeds in a kadai in oil

10. Then add ⅓ to ½ cup chopped onions. Saute till the onions change color or become translucent stirring often.

sauteing chopped onions in the kadai

11. Crush 3 to 4 garlic and 1 inch ginger to a paste in mortar and pestle. Add the crushed ginger-garlic paste or you can add 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste.

ginger garlic paste added

12. Saute for some seconds or till the raw aroma goes away.

sauteing ginger garlic paste

13. Add the tomato-cashew paste. Take care as the mixture might splutter.

tomato cashew paste added

14. Stir and mix well.

mixing the paste with onion mixture

15. Saute till oil starts to leave the sides of the mixture.

dahi bhindi recipe

16. The onion-tomato-cashew masala paste has to be sauteed very well. Keep on stirring often for uniform sauteing. The whole masala should come together and you should be able to see the oil or fat leaving the sides of the masala.

sauteed onion tomato cashew masala paste

17. Add 1.5 tablespoon besan (gram flour).

gram flour added to mixture

18. Saute for 1 to 2 minutes or more on low heat till the raw aroma of the gram flour goes away.

sauteing gram flour

19. Then add the following spice powders:

  • ½ teaspoon coriander powder
  • ¼ teaspoon red chili powder or cayenne pepper
  • ¼ to ½ teaspoon garam masala powder
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
ground spices added

20. Saute again for a minute. Switch off the heat and place the pan on the kitchen countertop.

sauteing the mixture again

21. Add the whisked yogurt (curd) to the pan.

whisked curd added

22. Pour 2 cups of water.

water added

23. Stir well with a wired whisk to get a uniform and even mixture. Then add the sauteed bhindi.

sauteed bhindi added

24. Next add salt as required.

salt added

25. Keep the pan on the stovetop on low to medium-low heat. Simmer the gravy till the mixture starts to thicken and you see specks of oil or ghee floating on top.

simmering dahi bhindi gravy

26. Add ¼ to ½ teaspoon crushed kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves) and 1 to 2 tablespoons low fat cream or light cream. Mix well.

kasuri methi added to dahi bhindi gravy

27. Simmer the gravy for half a minute and lastly add some coriander leaves

simmering the dahi bhindi gravy

28. Serve dahi wali bhindi hot or warm with some hot phulka, naan or roti. You can also have this dish with Jeera Rice or steamed basmati rice.

dahi bhindi served in a white bowl


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Dahi Bhindi

Dahi wali bhindi is a delicious and flavorful dish of sauteed tender cooked okra in a smooth, creamy, lightly spiced and tangy yogurt sauce
4.79 from 32 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Cuisine North Indian
Course Main Course
Diet Gluten Free, Vegetarian
Difficulty Level Moderate
Servings 3
Units

Ingredients

  • 200 to 250 grams bhindi (okra or lady finger)
  • ⅓ to ½ cup chopped onion
  • 2 medium ripe red tomatoes + 6 to 7 whole cashews, chopped – blended to a smooth paste
  • ½ cup Curd (yogurt) – whisked till smooth
  • 3 to 4 garlic + 1 inch ginger – crushed to a paste in a mortar and pestle or 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
  • 1.5 tablespoon besan (gram flour)
  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
  • ½ teaspoon Coriander Powder (ground coriander)
  • ¼ teaspoon red chili powder or cayenne pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder (ground turmeric)
  • ¼ or ½ teaspoon Garam Masala
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 to 2 tablespoon cream – low fat or light cream
  • 2 tablespoon oil for sauteing the okra
  • 1 tablespoon Ghee (clarified butter) or oil for the sauce
  • ¼ to ½ teaspoon crushed kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves)
  • salt as required

Instructions
 

Preparation

  • Rinse the okra (bhindi) in water for a couple of times.
  • Dry the okra with a kitchen towel or spread them on a plate and let them dry on their own.
  • Make sure that there is no moisture or water droplets on the okra before you start chopping them.
  • Trim off the head and tail of the okra. Chop the okra in 1 inch pieces. Keep aside the chopped okra.
  • Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan. Add the chopped okra and saute for at least 8 to 10 minutes on low heat till they change color and are cooked and softened.
  • Remove the sauteed bhindi and keep aside.
  • Puree the tomatoes and cashews to a smooth paste in a blender or chutney grinder without adding any water. Make a fine and smooth puree or paste not having any chunks of cashews or unground tomato seeds.
  • With a wired whisk, whip the yogurt till smooth in a bowl.

Making dahi bhindi

  • Heat up the same pan in which we sauteed the okra.
  • Add 1 tablespoon oil or ghee. Crackle the cumin seeds first.
  • Add the chopped onion and saute till the onions change color or become translucent stirring often.
  • Add the ginger-garlic paste and saute for a few seconds or till the raw aroma goes away.
  • Add the tomato-cashew paste and saute till oil starts to leave the sides of the mixture.
  • The onion-tomato-cashew masala paste has to be sauteed very well.
  • Keep on stirring often for uniform sauteing.
  • The whole masala should come together and you should be able to see the specks of oil or fat leaving the sides of the masala.
  • Add gram flour and saute for 1 to 2 minutes or more on low heat till the raw aroma of the gram flour goes away.
  • Then add coriander powder, red chili powder, garam masala powder and turmeric powder. Mix and saute again for a minute.
  • Switch off the heat and place the pan down. Add the whisked yogurt and water to the pan.
  • Stir well with a wired whisk and add the sauteed okra and salt.
  • Keep the pan on the fire and simmer the gravy till the mixture starts to thicken and you see the oil or ghee floating on top.
  • Add the crushed kasuri methi along with the cream and simmer for half a minute. Garnish with coriander leaves.
  • Serve dahi wali bhindi with some hot phulkas, naan or rotis. You can also have it with cumin rice or steamed basmati rice.

Nutrition Info (Approximate Values)

Nutrition Facts
Dahi Bhindi
Amount Per Serving
Calories 245 Calories from Fat 162
% Daily Value*
Fat 18g28%
Saturated Fat 5g31%
Monounsaturated Fat 1g
Cholesterol 23mg8%
Sodium 45mg2%
Potassium 554mg16%
Carbohydrates 16g5%
Fiber 4g17%
Sugar 7g8%
Protein 5g10%
Vitamin A 1460IU29%
Vitamin C 29.3mg36%
Calcium 127mg13%
Iron 1.3mg7%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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This Dahi Bhindi post from the blog archives first published in November 2013 has been republished and updated on 7 September 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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85 Comments

  1. Hello Dassana,

    I made this today and it was one of the best curries I have ever made. My family and I relished it.

    But I wanted to say, thank you for the amazing recipes you have. I refer to your site for even the recipes I know traditionally just to see if I can learn anything new.

    It’s like a cooking bible for me. Thank you again and god bless and wish you a lot of success!!!

    Love,
    Vibha

    1. Thanks a lot Vibha. Glad to read your comment and also for the feedback on the recipe.

      Thanks also for all of your kind words and good wishes. Wish you too all the best.