Achari Bhindi
A home-style recipe for Achari Bhindi. Serves 3–4, ready in about 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 500 g okra (bhindi), washed, dried well, tops cut off, cut in half
- 5 tbsp oil
- ½ tsp fennel seeds (saunf)
- ½ tsp mustard seeds (rai)
- ½ tsp nigella seeds (kalonji)
- ¼ tsp fenugreek seeds (methi dana)
- 1 onion, sliced
- 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
- 2 tomatoes, chopped
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp red chilli powder
- ½ tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
Missing something?
- No okra? Use tori or green beans.
- No onion? Use spring onions, or a little onion powder (less depth).
- No tomato? Use 1 tbsp tomato paste per tomato, or 2 tbsp yogurt for tang.
Method
- Fry the okra in 2 tbsp of the oil on medium heat for 8–10 minutes, stirring gently, until it is no longer sticky. Set aside.
- Heat the rest of the oil and add the fennel, mustard, nigella and fenugreek seeds. Fry for 30 seconds, until the mustard seeds pop.
- Add the onion and fry for 5 minutes until soft. Add the ginger-garlic paste for 1 minute.
- Add the tomatoes, salt, chilli, turmeric and coriander powder and cook for 5 minutes into a thick masala.
- Add the okra, cover and cook on low heat for 5 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice.
Tip: The okra must be completely dry before you cut it, or it turns slimy.