Okra Fry/ Bhindi Masala is one of the popular side-dishes served with Roti, along with some dal or yogurt. This is made by adding okra (Bhindi/Ladyfinger) in the oil and cooking it with some spices and onions till it turns tender.
Nowadays there are many ways you can make the recipe: on stove-top, or Air Fryer, or even Instant Pot. But I like stove-top ones best because being a little charred, they taste great. With Air Fryer, I find Okra a little crunchy, not tender. I like Okra a little charred, as it gives a nice flavor to it.
SOME OKRA VARIATIONS
There are many ways you can make Okra. But of those the most popular are:
Method 1: Okra Fry
In Okra Fry, usually, the okra is cut into bite-sized pieces and cooked till tender with some sliced onions. And sometimes it is also made by adding some onion-tomato masala.
Method 2: Stuffed Okra
In stuffed Okra, the top and bottom of the okra are cut out and the okra is slit lengthwise. And spice mix is added inside the slit. Then okra is cooked till it turns tender.
BENEFITS OF OKRA
- Okra is rich in many Nutrients and particularly high in Vitamin C and K.
- It is also rich in antioxidants that may reduce your risk of serious diseases, prevent inflammation, and contribute to overall health.
- Okra also helps in lowering blood cholesterol levels.
- Eating okra has been linked to blood sugar control.
- Okra helps in maintaining the daily folate needs in pregnant women.
INGREDIENTS
- OKRA: You can use fresh or frozen okra for making this recipe. Slice then in bite-size pieces and use them for making Okra Fry/ Bhindi Masala.
- SPICES: I have basic Indian Spices for making Okra Fry/ Bhindi Masala. You can add Garam Masala Powder, Coriander Powder, Turmeric Powder, mango Powder, and Red Chili powder.
- ONIONS: I usually add some sliced onions in the recipe. The baby red onions or shallots also work well.
- TOMATOES: Adding tomatoes gives a tangy flavor to Okra Fry/ Bhindi Masala. So make the masala in another skillet with onions & tomatoes and add it to okra.
HOW TO MAKE OKRA FRY/ BHINDI MASALA IN THE INSTANT POT?
Saute onions & tomatoes in the Instant Pot until mushy and forms like a tadka (onion-tomato masala). Then add all the spices and okra in the pot. Add 1-2 tablespoon of water and de-glaze the post. Pressure Cook for 2 minutes, once timer beeps move the vent to the venting position (Quick release). When pressure gets released, open the lid.
HOW TO MAKE OKRA FRY/ BHINDI MASALA IN THE OVEN?
Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees F. In a bowl mix sliced onion, okra, and spices. Transfer that into a parchment-lined baking tray. And add tomatoes in the separate oven-safe pan. Bake for 20-15 minutes or until okra is cooked and browned. After the timer is done, mix tomatoes with okra in a bowl and sprinkle some lemon juice and serve.
HOW TO MAKE OKRA FRY/ BHINDI MASALA IN AN AIR-FRYER?
Add Okra with onions and air-fry at 350 degree F for 8-10 minutes. Then mix all the spices with the okra and air-fry again for 2-4 minutes or until okra is cooked and brown. Keep checking in between and stirring for even cooking.
Okra Fry
Ingredients
- 3-2 tablespoon Oil
- 250 grams Okra
- ½ Onion sliced
- 1 Tomato chopped
- ½ teaspoon Cumin Powder
- ½ teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- 1 teaspoon Garam Masala Powder
- 1 tablespoon Coriander Powder
- 1 tablespoon Amchur/ Mango Powder
- Red Chili Powder
- Salt
Instructions
PREPARATION:
- Rinse Okra very well under water and drain them.
- Wipe off using kitchen towel or tissue to remove all the moisture. You can also leave on counter top for a while to air dry.
- Chop off both ends and discard them. Cut okra in bite size.
COOKING:
- Add oil in a pan, when oil is hot, add Turmeric Powder to it.
- When turmeric changes color, add Okra and then add Salt to pan and mix everything. Cook on medium-low heat and close lid and stir every 5 minutes.
- In another pan add oil and onions to it and let it saute for 2-3 minutes. When the onion starts to change color add tomatoes to it. Cook for 3-5 minutes until tomatoes are mushy. Then add all the spices and cook for 1-2 minutes so that the masala is cooked well.
- When Okra is almost done, like in 20 minutes, add Onion-Tomato masala to it and stir until combied.
- Serve it as a side-dish with Roti and some dal or yogurt.
Notes
- Best not to cut Okra very small as it gets sticky quickly while cooking. Oil helps to get rid of the sticky texture of Okra, so add around 3- 4 tablespoon of it.
- To get charred color, firstly I cook at high heat. Once I get the color then I cook at low- medium heat till it turns tender.
- Choose young & tender okra, as they cook quickly and taste great too.
HOW TO MAKE OKRA FRY IN AIR-FRYER Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees F. In a bowl mix sliced onion, okra, and spices. Transfer that into a parchment-lined baking tray. And add tomatoes in the separate oven-safe pan. Bake for 20-15 minutes or until okra is cooked and browned. After the timer is done, mix tomatoes with okra in a bowl and sprinkle some lemon juice and serve. HOW TO MAKE OKRA FRY IN OVEN Add Okra with onions and air-fry at 350 degrees F for 8-10 minutes. Then mix all the spices with the okra and air-fry again for 2-4 minutes or until okra is cooked and brown. Keep checking in between and stirring for even cooking. Or you can prepare masala separately. Add okra to pan and once cooked and are tender in texture, then add onion-tomato masala to the okra and mix. If you like this recipe, Please RATE by clicking the Stars or leave FEEDBACK!
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