Masala BHENDI (Okra): My reigning king of vegetables
By GM for The Planet Food
Even today, just like during childhood, bhendi remains my favourite vegetable. While, most kids preferred only potatoes as their vegetarian meal option, I don’t recall having any such issue. I loved all my veggies just as I did my meats. To me, the behndi/ okra has always been just as exciting as any meat dish. Also, I do not really count potato as a real vegetable. So, unlike a lot of people, who even as adults, when asked what their favourite vegetable is, promptly say ‘potato’, you’ll always find my answer remains the lovely okra. I enjoy this vegetable in all its forms, whether as a simple fasting dish, with no masalas, or as a quintessential vegetarian dish I’d immediately order in a restaurant. Over the years I have also found a deeper appreciation for this vegetable as I have discovered the beautiful flavours it can add to even sea food meals like prawn curry. Today, however I’m going to stick to my simple north Indian preparation of this vegetable, namely the delightful bhendi masala, that can be savoured with simple home-made chapattis.
Recipe:
Ingredients:
2 pounds bhindi
2 onions (chopped)
1 tblsp ginger garlic paste
1 tblsp coriander powder
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp red chilly powder
1 tsp garam masala powder
1 tsp amchur powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
salt to taste
oil
Method:
•Wash and cut bhindi in halves.
•Heat oil in a wok or kadai.Add cumin seeds and let it splutter.
•Add chopped onions and ginger garlic paste.Fry till golden brown.
•Now add cut bhindi with rest off the spices and stir well.
•Cook it on medium flame and keep stirring it ocassionaly so it does not stick at bottom.
•Keep feying till bhindis are cooked.
•Serve bhindi masala hot with chapatis.