Bhindi fry recipe – Simple, delicious and healthy stir fried bhindi. Okra or ladies finger is a vegetable that is used in Indian cuisine to make Sambar, curry, chutney, stir fry and stew. Bhindi fry is a simple preparation made by stir frying the veggie and then lightly spiced. It is served with plain rice, roti or chapati.
I make bhindi often at home since my kids’ love it in any form. Most of the times I end up making the stir fry to serve with roti, rice, Sambar or Rasam. Sometimes we also serve it with curd rice. I make bhindi fry each time with different seasonings as my kids’ don’t like repeating the same. The recipe I have shared here is one of the delicious ways to prepare bhindi.
There are not many ways to make bhindi fry, but it can be seasoned or flavored with different ingredients. Using garam masala, fresh coconut or other spice powders are some of them. I often make Andhra style bendakaya vepudu with coconut and roasted peanuts which is a favorite at home.
This bhindi fry is flavored with roasted & crushed peanuts, coconut & sesame which perks up the nutrition of dish. It turns out very delicious and aromatic. If you are weight watcher then you can skip peanuts and use coconut or sesame. You can also skip all of the 3 and just sprinkle some garam masala.
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Bhindi fry recipe
Bhindi fry | How to make bhindi fry or okra stir fry
Simple bhindi fry to serve as a side in a Indian meal. The recipe yields okra stir fry that is delicious and healthy. It is mildly spiced and flavored with crushed peanuts and other optional ingredients.
Ingredients (240 ml cup used)
- 500 grams okra or bhindi or ladies finger
- 2 tbsps oil or as needed
- ½ tsp cumin or jeera
- 1 green chili slit (skip if making for kids)
- ½ tsp salt or as needed
- 1/8 tsp turmeric or haldi (optional)
- ¾ to 1 tsp red chili powder (for kids - ¼ to ½ tsp)
to roast or use ¾ tsp garam masala
- 1½ tbsp peanuts
- 1½ tbsp coconut grated (optional) (any - copra tastes best)
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds or til (optional)
- 1 garlic clove
- ½ tsp cumin or jeera
How to make the recipe
Preparation for bhindi fry
Choose okra that are young and tender.
Wash bhindi well under running water. Drain them to a colander.
Wipe off with a clean kitchen cloth or tissues.
Cut off both the ends and discard.
Slice them to half inch pieces. Set aside.
Making bhindi fry
Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin and allow to splutter.
Then add chopped bhindi and green chili.
- Begin to saute them in oil on a medium heat. Stirring as often as needed. Over stirring can make them more slimy.
While the bhindi gets fried, in a different pan dry roast peanuts and garlic on a medium flame until golden and aromatic. You can skip using peanuts,coconut and just use garam masala.
Then add coconut and sesame (both optional). Lastly add in jeera. Saute just for a minute. When the sesame seeds begin to splutter turn off the stove. Cool completely. Make a coarse powder.
When the bhindi shrinks and is no more slimy, then add salt and turmeric. Fry until done.
Pour 1 tsp oil to the center of the pan, add chili powder to the oil. Mix well and saute the bhindi for another 2 mins until the raw smell of the chili goes away.
Now add the powdered peanuts and mix well.
Serve bhindi fry with rice or roti as a side.
Recipe Video
Video of bhindi fry recipe
Preparation for bhindi fry
1. Rinse bhindi under running water. Drain them to a colander and wipe dry with a kitchen cloth or tissue.
2. Chop them to half inch pieces and set aside. For comfort while chopping use kitchen tissue to remove the slimy part from knife.
How to make bhindi fry
3. Heat oil in a pan and cumin. I have used about 2.5 tbsps here since I have not used a non stick pan. You can reduce it to 1.5 tbsp if you use a non stick pan.
4. When the jeera begins to splutter add chopped bhindi and stir fry on a medium heat.
5. Keep stirring at regular intervals. Over doing it will make the bhindi more slimy so do it as needed. Bhindi will begin to turn slimy after a minute. To reduce the slime I usually sprinkle some lemon juice but I have not done it this time.
6. You can skip the peanuts from the recipe and use only coconut or sesame. You can also just use garam masala and skip all of these three.
7. While the bhindi is getting fried, roast the peanuts and garlic on a medium flame until golden.
8. Turn off the heat and add coconut and sesame seeds. I have also used little cumin here. Fry lightly for a minute.
9. Cool them completely and make a coarse powder.
10. When the bhindi is done, you will find that they are no more slimy. At this stage add salt and turmeric. Mix well.
11. Pour 1 teaspoon oil to the center of the pan. Add red chili powder to it. Let the chilli powder fry in oil for about 10 seconds.
12. Then mix it well with the bhindi. Fry for another 3 to 4 mins if desired. I do not prefer to over cook bhindi so I did not fry further.
13. Add the peanut powder.
14. Mix it well with the bhindi. It doesn’t need to be cooked further.
Enjoy bhindi fry with rice or roti.
Sabitha says
U r recipes r easy to make and great to taste
swasthi says
Thank you so much Sabitha
Twinkle says
Yummy recipe. I also added some parboiled potatoes and it turned out delicious
swasthi says
Thanks for trying Twinkle
Noor says
Most delicious and healthy bhindi I ever made. Thanks for the great recipes
swasthi says
Welcome Noor
Neelima says
I always make bhindi fry very differently just plain. But this one was very good. Thank you for the recipe
swasthi says
Welcome Neelima
Thanks for trying the recipe. Glad to know you liked it.
Hema says
Hello swasthi,
I tried your bhindi fry. It turned out 😋. The whole meal was polished off by the kids just with that. 🙏
swasthi says
Hi Hema,
You are welcome. So glad to read your comment after a long.
🙂
Thanks a lot for trying. Happy to know the kids’ loved it.