Bhindi ki sabji is a simple, easy and tasty vegan recipe of a mildly spiced dry okra curry that tastes delish with an Indian bread like roti or phulka.
Rinse okra well with water. Dry each okra with a kitchen napkin.
Trim the top stalk part and base tip part. Then chop the okra into ½ to 1 inch round pieces.
Sautéing
Heat oil in pan or kadai. Sauté the onions until transparent.
Now add the green chili and tomatoes. Sauté them until the tomatoes soften.
Add all the spice powders one by one.
Making bhindi ki sabji
Mix and sauté for a minute. Then add chopped okra. Mix well. Add salt as required and mix again.
Place a lid with a rim on the pan or kadai. Pour some water on the lid.
On a low to medium heat, cook the okra until they are softened.
Keep on checking in between and stir occasionally to avoid the bhindi sabzi from sticking to the pan.
When the okra is tender and softened, garnish the bhindi bhaji with chopped coriander leaves.
Serving suggestions
Serve bhindi ki sabji hot with roti or paratha. You can also serve it as a side dish with dal and rice or kadhi and rice. Bhindi sabzi can also be packed in the lunch-box with a side of roti, paratha or bread.
Notes
Buying okra: Get okra pods which are tender, young and fresh. Aged or mature okra will be highly stringy.
Chopping bhindi: When chopping okra, make sure they are completely dry and do not even have a drop of water or moisture on them. While cutting bhindi, you will see some of the sticky substance on the knife. Simply wipe it with a paper kitchen towel.
Cooking non-sticky okra: Adding sour acidic ingredients like tomatoes, tamarind, yogurt, vinegar, lemon juice help in making the okra non-sticky and non-slimy.
Scaling: You can double or triple the recipe easily.
Spicing: This bhindi sabzi recipe is mild and not spicy or pungent. For a spicy taste, you can add some red chilli powder, ginger-garlic paste or increase the number of green chillies.
Gluten-free version: To make a gluten-free bhindi bhaji, simply skip asafetida (hing) or add gluten-free asafetida.