Bhindi (Okra)
Serves: 4 as a side dish or 2 - 3 as a main dish
Preparation time: 20 minutes.
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Suitable for: Vegetarians, vegans and those on a gluten free diet
Serve piping hot with rotis/paranthas; a dal dish; rice and yoghurt (plant based if vegan)
Ingredients:
500g fresh okra
40ml vegetable oil
1 teaspoon jeera (cumin seeds)
2 medium onions, sliced thinly lengthways
1 medium tomato, skinned and chopped roughly or 2 level tablespoon canned chopped tomatoes
1 - 2 green chillies, chopped finely
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1¼ - 1½ level teaspoons of salt
½ teaspoon of turmeric
¼ teaspoon of garam masala
¼ teaspoon of amchur or 1 teaspoon of lemon juice, optional
Method:
Wash the bhindi, drain and dry each individual bhindi with a clean tea towel.
Top and tail each bhindi, cut in half horizontally and then quarter each half vertically.
Make the tarka which is less time consuming than for other curries because of the lower tomato/moisture content.
Heat the oil (butter or ghee) on medium heat until fairly hot (be careful with butter/ghee as these have lower smoking points). Add the cumin seeds and cloves and stir until they splutter (virtually immediately)
Turn the heat down to low/medium, add the onions and fry gently stirring occasionally until they soften.
Add the tomatoes, salt, turmeric, chillies, garlic, ginger stir. Continue to cook gently, ‘mashing’ the tomatoes until a paste like consistency forms. I use a potato masher.
Add the garam masala, stir and cook for a further minute or so or until oil oozes out of the paste when a wooden spoon is dragged along the base of the pan
Add the prepared okra and combine with the tarka.
With the heat on medium, place the lid on the pan keeping it slightly ajar. Simmer for about 10 minutes stirring occasionally.
After 10 minutes or so, the contents may start sticking to the bottom of the pan. At this time, remove the lid completely, turn down the heat a touch and continue cooking, stirring occasionally until the oil starts to ooze (another 5 minutes or so).
When cooked, add the amchur or lemon juice if using - this takes away the ‘sliminess’, stir for a minute or so.
Turn off the heat and serve hot.