Bhindi Masala recipe is a North Indian, Punjabi style curried dish made with tender okra pods, piquant onions, tangy tomatoes, bold spices and herbs. It is one of the most popular dishes served in many Indian restaurants.
Rinse the bhindi (okra) well in water for a couple of times.
Dry them on a large plate on their own or wipe with a kitchen towel. Make sure there is no moisture or water on the okra pods.
Remove the base and stalk while chopping them. Chop into 1 or 1.5 inch pieces.
Also chop onions and tomatoes. Keep aside.
Make a paste of ginger and garlic in mortar-pestle and keep aside.
Sautéing bhindi
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a kadai (wok) or pan.
Add the chopped bhindi and sauté stirring often till they are completely cooked. You will have to keep an eye on them and stir in between many times.
Taste the sautéed okra and if the crunchiness is not there and the bhindi have become soft, it means they are cooked. Keep the sautéed bhindi aside.
Sautéing onions, tomatoes, spices
All the oil will be used up. So add 1 tablespoon oil to the same pan.
Add chopped onions and sauté stirring often on low to medium heat till they become translucent and are softened.
Add the ginger-garlic paste and sauté on low heat for a few seconds or till the raw aroma of the ginger-garlic disappears.
Add the chopped tomatoes and saute stirring often till the tomatoes become soft and mushy.
If the tomato mixture becomes too dry and starts sticking to the pan, then add about ¼ cup water. Mix well and continue to cook.
All the above cooking is done in a open pan and you don't need to cover the pan with the lid.
Add all the dry ground spice powders one by one.
Mix well and saute for a few seconds on low heat.
Making bhindi masala
Add the sautéed bhindi, crushed kasuri methi, salt and mix so that the onion-tomato masala coats the okra well.
Cook for about 2 minutes. Stir in between.
Then turn off the heat and add chopped coriander leaves. Mix again.
Serve Bhindi Masala hot or warm garnished with a few coriander leaves and accompanied with chapati, roti or naan. It can also be packed for lunch box. It also makes for a nice side dish with any North Indian meal.
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Notes
Okra: Buy tender and fresh okra pods. They should have a smooth, shiny look with a nice green color. They should not be dry, dense or fibrous.
Scaling: You can easily halve or double the recipe.
Omitting onions and garlic: If you decide not to add onions and garlic, then when sautéing tomatoes, add a pinch of asafoetida (hing).
Spicing and seasonings: You can add less or more of the ground spices according to your taste preferences.
Dried fenugreek leaves: Skip dried fenugreek leaves if you do not have them.
Fats: You can make this recipe in any neutral flavored oil. For a richer taste you can use ghee (clarified butter). Optionally you can also add 1 tablespoon of heavy cream or whipping cream.
Variation: For a hearty filling dish you can opt to add roasted or sauteed or pan fried potato cubes.