Bhindi Masala – Indian Okra Curry

Bhindi masala is one of my favourite Indian recipes. I make it every opportunity I get. My kids have grown to love it too and we all enjoy it from time to time. I remember the first time I made it for a friend. She saw my bhindi masala and right away said she did not like okra because it was too slimy. I encouraged her to taste it and then decide. She took a bite and was so impressed. She realized that mine was not slimy at all and was in fact very crisp and delicious. Now she asks for me to make it whenever she’s coming over.

The Ingredients for Bhindi Masala

Some fresh okra, red onion, and the usual Indian spices are all it takes to make this tasty recipe. Try it once and you will want to make it often too.

The Ingredients List for for Bhindi Masala:

• 2 cups of cut okra
• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil (divided)
• 1 large onion 
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander 
• 1/3 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon turmeric 
• 1/4 teaspoon red chili
• salt to taste
• 1 cup chopped cherry tomatoes

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How do I prevent okra from getting sticky?

Wash the okra well and using a clean tea towel, dry it completely before you cut it. If okra is exposed to water, it tends to get slimy / sticky. So, make sure you are drying it properly. Once it’s all dry, cut it into 1-inch pieces and set it aside.

In order to get a good non-slimy bhindi masala, let’s start with frying the bhindi. Add 2 tablespoons of oil to a pan and heat it to medium high. Once the oil is hot enough, add the cut bhindi to it and toss it once. Allow it to sit in the pan for a minute or so and gently toss it again. Continue to do this for about 10 minutes. Making sure that you are gentle with the okra will ensure that it doesn’t break.

Frying the okra before we add anything else to the pan ensures that it doesn’t get slimy. As it cooks, it softens so be careful not to break it by being rough when tossing.

Once the bhindi has started to soften and brown a little, remove it from the pan and set it aside.

The Onions

Do not wash the pan. Just add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the pan and add your finely slices onions to the pan. Allow them to cook and soften for about 5 minutes. The onions will absorb the flavour from the pan in which the bhindi was cooked is why we don’t wash it.

The Masala

Once the onions have cooked, we are ready to add the spices. Toss in the grama masala, the cumin and coriander powders, the turmeric powder, the chili, and salt to taste. Stir everything in so that the spices are well incorporated into the onions. Cook for about 1 minute.

Why use Cherry Tomatoes vs Regular Tomatoes?

I like to use cherry tomatoes for this recipe. I find they are a little sweeter and less watery than any other kind of tomato. The less liquid you introduce to this recipe, the better it will be in the end. Wash and quarter the cherry tomatoes. Add them to the pan and stir well to combine. Allow them to cook for about 2-3 minutes or until they have softened and the liquid dried up.

Now we can add the bhindi back to the pan. Gently stir it to allow for everything to be mixed in well. Let the bhindi cook for about 2-3 minutes. Only mix it once gently.

Once ready sprinkle some freshly chopped coriander onto it before enjoying.

Serving Suggestions for Bhindi Masala:

I love to serve this with fresh roti or naan. Try serving it with my left over lentil flatbreads.

Tried and Liked the Recipe?

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