Love bhindi as much as Priyanka Chopra? Spice up your meals with these 5 unique bhindi recipes from around the world
Bhindi ki sabzi and dal have been a classic comfort food for many. But if you're a bhindi fanatic like Priyanka Chopra, try out these novel recipes instead
In a recent post, Priyanka Chopra Jonas showed us what a night in the Chopra-Jonas household looks like. With Mama Chopra at the helm, the family can be seen preparing some bhindi with phulke for their dinner. Bhindi is one of the most versatile vegetables in the Indian pantry and as the rains roll into our houses and bones, here are a few mouthwatering okra recipes that are sure to knock your socks off.
Crunchy Roasted Bhindi Chips
Best paired with a plate of steaming hot dal, a few green chillies and maybe some mango pickle, this recipe from All Recipes calls for as little as 4 ingredients and even less prep time.
Ingredients: 150g bhindi, 1 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp salt, 2 tbsp black pepper, 1 tsp chilli powder (optional)
Recipe: Start by preheating your oven to 220°C. Cut and season your bhindi with all the seasonings, drizzle with olive oil and place in the oven for 10-15 minutes. Once lightly brown and tender, it's ready to eat!
Bamya Stew
Okra is commonly used in many cultures and really shines in West African or Mediterranean cuisine. Bamia or Bamya stew is a classic Turkish dish with a lot of decadent Indian flavours. Check out this easy recipe from The Mediterranean Dish.
Ingredients for sofrito: 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 chopped onion, 4 minced garlic cloves, 2 minced jalapeno peppers
Main ingredients: ½ kg bhindi, salt and pepper, 1 tsp ground allspice, ½ tsp to ¾ tsp coriander powder, ½ tsp chilli powder, 1.5 cup crushed tomatoes
Garnish: Sliced tomato, parsley and juice of ½ lime
Recipe: Start by making your sofrito which is kind of like a bhuna masala. Add all the sofrito ingredients to a pan and saute for a few seconds, then add the okra and cook for another 5 -7 minutes. Season with all the spices and toss. Next add the tomatoes and 1.5 cups of water, and top with sliced tomatoes. Bring the stew to a boil and let it simmer for 25 mins or until the okra is cooked. Garnish with lemon juice and parsley. Serve with rice or warm pita bread.
Skewered Bhindi
There's nothing better than a weekend monsoon barbecue to bring a group of friends together after a long week of work. While eating meat can be a bit challenging in this season, why not embrace the wonderfully versatile bhindi as a star ingredient for your vegetarian BBQ menu? Here's a juicy recipe for grilled okra-and-pepper skewers with a luscious Dijon dipping sauce from Southern Living.
Ingredients: 16 medium-size fresh okra pods, 12 sweet mini peppers, olive oil (for brushing pan), ¼ cup mayonnaise, 1 tbsp Dijon mustard, 2 tsp anchovy paste, 1 tsp fresh lemon juice, ¼ tsp hot sauce
Recipe: Thread your bhindi and peppers alternately on the skewers. Grill them over a pan with oil or over a barbecue. Cook until the vegetables are charred and tender. This usually takes 6-8 minutes, but remember to turn them halfway.
For the sauce, mix the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, anchovy paste, fresh lemon juice, and hot sauce in a small bowl.
Bhindi Raita
A recipe that comes from South India, bhindi raita or vendakkai kichadi is a side dish usually served along with cooked rice in a South Indian wedding meal, or during festivals. Here's a quick recipe with a twist from Mozi's Menu.
Main ingredients: 15 sliced bhindi, 4 chopped green chillies, 2 tbsp coconut oil, ¾ cup curd, salt to taste
Ingredients for coconut paste: ½ cup coconut, ½ tsp mustard seeds, ½ tsp cumin, ¼ cup curd.
Ingredients for temper: I tsp coconut oil, ½ tsp mustard seeds, 3 dried red chillies, 1 sprig curry leaves
Recipe: Add the bhindi and chillies to a pan with the oil and fry until crisp. Then dump all the ingredients for the coconut paste into a blender and pulse until smooth. Gently mix everything. Now temper your mustard seeds, red chillies and curry leaves and garnish your raita. Serve with dal rice, chicken curry or some masala uttapam.
Bhindiwala meat
Mutton and bhindi is a delicacy in Nizami and Mughlai food, it's exactly as it sounds and tastes even better than you can imagine. Here's a quick and easy one-pot recipe from Fatima Cooks.
Ingredients: ½ cup olive oil, 175 g fresh bhindi, 1 onion, 350 g mutton, 2 small tomatoes, 4 cloves garlic, a small chunk of ginger, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 2 tsp coriander powder, 2 tsp red chilli powder, 2 tsp salt or to taste, 0.5 tsp turmeric, ½ a medium-sized onion and coriander for garnish
Recipe: Heat up a pot with oil, first add the bhindi and fry until golden. Remove half the oil and add in the onions. After they turn translucent, add the meat, garlic and ginger and fry for a few minutes until the meat is no longer pink. Then add all the spices, tomatoes and 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil then simmer for 1hr 45mins for mutton.
After the time has passed, turn the heat up until the gravy begins to catch in the pan and the oil separates from the curry. At this point, add the okra and the rest of the onions with ½ cup of water. Simmer for 10-15 minutes. Serve over a bed of warm, white rice and a little bit of ghee.
As the rains pour down, these mouthwatering bhindi recipes offer the perfect experimental food for your kitchen. So, gather your friends and family, and enjoy the flavours of these delightful bhindi creations!
