today recipe bhindi fry

CRISPY BHINDI FRY {INDIAN STYLE OKRA FRY}

You will need:

·         Okra (lady’s finger) – 1 kg

·         Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp

·         Garam masala – 1 tsp

·         Red chili powder – 1 – 1 1/2 tsp (as per heat level desired)

·         Amchur powder – 1/2 tsp

·         gram flour – 2-3 tbsp

·         Oil – for frying (see Notes)

·         Salt – to taste

How to:

·         Wash and dry the okra completely. Trim the two ends. Slice each okra vertically into halves or quarters.

·         In a large mixing bowl, mix okra with the spices. Sprinkle 2 tbsp flour on top and mix well so that each okra slice is coated with the flour. Add more flour if needed. Allow to marinate for 15-20 minutes.

·         Heat oil in a kadai or wok and fry the okra over medium-high heat till golden brown and crisp, maybe 4-5 minutes per batch.

·         Remove onto a paper towel lined tray and sprinkle salt over the hot okra. Serve hot with rice or rotis with a side of onion raita. Fried okra can even be served as a snack.

Notes:

·         Do not crowd the pan while frying, so fry okra in batches. Use medium-high heat throughout, very low heat will make the okra soggy, whereas a high heat will simply burn them.

·         Even though we are frying the okra, take just enough oil to gently submerge the vegetables. You do not need to use a large vat of oil, which will mostly be rendered useless once the spices and okra seeds get mixed in it. I use a small wok as the curve of the wok ensures that the okra is submerged in the oil and gets fried in the heat pretty quickly. You can always add more oil if needed.

·         Most of the time, I use a skillet to pan fry the okra with maybe 1-2 tbsp oil for a healthier version of the masala bhindi. They might not be as crisp, but the flavors will be there and you can have it with rotis or chapathis.