Ajwaini Bhindi / Okra with Spices

Fresh Okra / Bhindi - 30 pieces, wash, dry, cut the ends and chop into 1 inch pieces
Onion - 1, chopped
Olive Oil - 2 tbsp
Ajwain / Bishop's weed - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Coriander Powder - 2 tsp
Aamchur powder / Dry mango Powder - 1 tsp
Red Chili Powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt

Heat a cast iron pan. Once hot, add olive oil, onion and ajwain. Cook till the onion becomes slightly soft.

Now add the bhindi, turmeric and salt. Mix well. Cook on high flame for a few minutes spreading it all around the pan.

Add coriander powder and chili powder and continue to cook while tossing in between.

Once the bhindi is done, add aamchur, remove from heat and serve hot.

Adapted from bhindi-ki-sabzi-okra-cooked-with-spices.html

Okra with Potato & Onion / Bhindi Aloo Bhaja

Tender Okra - 30, washed, dried and cut into half inch pieces
Oil - 2 tbsp
Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
Green Chili - 3, finely chopped
Red Onion - 1/2 cup, chopped
Red Potato - 1, thinly sliced into small pieces
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric Powder - a pinch
Aamchur Powder / Dry Mango Powder - 1/4 tsp (optional)
Salt

Heat a cast iron pan. Add 1 tbsp oil and cumin seeds. Once the seeds begin to sizzle add chopped green chilies and chopped onion. Saute for a few minutes.

Now add the chopped potato and turmeric. Cook for a few minutes till the potato is half done.

Add the okra pieces, coriander powder and mix well. Continue to cook till the okra and potato are soft and begin to brown at the edges. Add the aamchur, give it a toss.

Serve hot with steamed brown rice and dal.

Bhindi Kadhi / Okra in Yogurt Sauce

Fresh Tender Okra - around 20 to 25 pieces, chopped into 1 inch pieces
Oil - 1 tbsp.
Coriander Seeds - 1 tsp, lightly crush using a mortar and pestle
Whole Red Chilies - 2
Hing / Asafoetida - a pinch
Yogurt - 1 cup
Besan / Chickpea Flour - 1 tbsp.
Water - 2 cups
Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp
Red Chili Powder - 1 tsp + little more to sprinkle on top
Salt


Beat  yogurt, water, besan, turmeric, red chili powder and salt. Keep aside.


Heat oil in a pan. Add coriander seeds, dried red chili and hing. Next add the chopped okra. Mix well and cook till the okra is tender and done.


Add the yogurt mix to the okra and bring it to boil. If required add little more water. Cook till the gravy thickens. Sprinkle some red chili powder on top and serve hot.


Adapted from http://kichukhonn.blogspot.com/2016/02/bhindi-ki-kadhi-and-small-appeal.html

Crispy Deep Fried Okra

Tender Okra - 20
Besan /Chickpea Flour - 4 tbsp
Brown Rice Flour - 1 tbsp
Baking Soda - a pinch
Salt
Turmeric - a pinch
Red Chili Powder - 1/4 tsp
Ajwain / Carom Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Water

Oil for deep frying
Chaat masala for sprinkling over fried okra (optional)

Wash the okra and dry completely. Cut both ends off each okra. Then cut each okra lengthwise into 4 thin strips.

Make a thick pancake like batter by mixing chickpea flour, rice flour, salt, baking soda, turmeric and red chili powder.

Heat oil over medium high in a wok / kadai. Dip each strip of okra in the batter and gently slide in the hot oil. Fry the okras in batches till crispy and golden brown in color.

Remove and place on paper towel to soak extra oil. Sprinkle with chaat masala and serve immediately.

Fried Okra / Dherosh Bhaja

Okra - 30
Oil - 2 tbsp
Nigella Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Green Chili - 2, finely chopped
Turmeric - a pinch
Salt

Wash the okras well. Dry completely. Cut into very thin roundels. Make the roundels as thin as possible. The thinner they are, the crispier they will turn out.

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a cast iron skillet. Add the nigella seeds and chopped green chili. Saute for a few seconds.

Now add the okra roundels, turmeric and mix well with the oil and spices. The okras get slimy in the beginning but slowly as they cook the sliminess goes away.

Keep turning them frequently. Once they get brown and crisp on all sides, they are done. Sprinkle some salt and remove from heat and serve immediately.

Spicy Okra Curry with Onion and Tomato

Tender Okra - 30
Oil - 2 tbsp
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Hing / Asafoetida - 2 pinches
Green Chili - 3, finely chopped
Onion - 1/2 cup, chopped
Tomato - 1, chopped
Curry Powder / Roasted coriander cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric Powder - a pinch
Red Chili Powder - 1/4 tsp (optional)
Salt

Wash the okra and dry them completely. Cut into half inch roundels.

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan. Add the cut okra, turmeric and salt. Saute on medium flame. The okras pieces may become a little slimy in the beginning but as they begin to cook, the sliminess goes away. Saute till the okras are completely cooked and dry. Remove and keep aside.

Heat the remaining 1 tbsp oil Add mustard seeds. Once they begin to pop, add the hing, chopped green chilies and chopped onion. Saute till the onion starts to caramelise.

Now add the chopped tomato, curry powder and red chili powder. Cook for a few minutes till the tomato begins to break down.

Add the cooked okra pieces and mix everything well. Cook for a few minutes more.

Serve hot with steamed brown rice and dal.

Stuffed Okra / Bharleli Bhendi

Adapted from http://www.sailusfood.com/2011/08/18/bhindi-sambhariya-gujarati-style-stuffed-okra/

Fresh and tender Okra - 30 small
Peanut Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Hing / Asafoetida - a pinch
Red Onion - 1/2, thinly sliced (optional)
Curry Leaves - 10

For stuffing:
Roasted Peanuts - 3 tbsp
Fresh / Dessicated Coconut - 1 tbsp
Sesame Seeds - 1/2 tbsp
Roasted Cumin Powder - 1 tsp
Roasted Coriander Powder - 2 tsp
Garam Masala Powder - a pinch
Jaggery - 2 tsp, grated
Cilantro - a handful, finely chopped
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Aamchur / Dried Mango Powder - 1 tsp
Paprika - 1/2 tsp
Green Chili - 2
Ginger - 1 inch, grated
Peanut Oil - 1/2 tbsp
Salt

Wash the okra well and dry completely.

Coarsely grind the peanut and coconut together. Keep aside in a bowl.

Mix ginger, green chili, salt and half tbsp oil and  make a paste in the grinder. Add to the bowl.

Add sesame seeds, roasted cumin coriander powder, garam masala powder, jaggery, turmeric, paprika, aamchur, chopped cilantro to the rest of the ingredients in the bowl. Mix well. The mixture should not be too dry and should be be slightly wet.

Take each okra, make a slit lengthwise and stuff half tbsp of mixture into it. Stuff all the okras and keep aside.

Heat oil in a flat skillet. Add mustard seeds. Once the seeds start popping, add hing, curry leaves and sliced onion.

Immediately add the stuffed okras one by one in a single layer. Cook on low flame without lid.  Turn the okras once or twice for even cooking on all sides.

Once the okras get soft and turn brownish, remove from heat and serve warm.

Tangy Okra with Onions

Tender Okra / Bhindi - 30, washed, dried and ends cut
Yellow Onion - 1 big, sliced
Ginger - 1 inch, grated
Garlic - 4 pods, grated
Mustard Seeds
Cumin Seeds
Hing
Green Chillies - 4
Cumin, Coriander powder - 2 tsp
Turmeric
Dried Mango Powder (Aamchur) - 1 tbsp
Oil

Heat about 2 tsp oil in a cast iron skillet and add the whole bhindis. Cook for about 10 minutes on medium flame, tossing a few times (be gentle while tossing so as not to break the bhindis) till the bhindis are soft and cooked. Remove from the skillet.

Add some more oil to the skillet. Temper with mustard seeds, cumin seeds, green chillies and hing. Add the sliced onion and cook for about 10 minutes. Add grated ginger, garlic, turmeric, cumin coriander powder. Now add the bhindis and sprinkle aamchur powder. Mix well and cook for a couple of minutes more.

Bhindi Tava Masala

Adapted from http://www.aayisrecipes.com/2008/07/21/okrabhindi-or-mushroom-tava-fries/

2 cups small bhindi
1 cup rava(semolina)
A pinch asafoetida
1/4 tea spn tamarind extract or aamchur mixed with a little water
1 tea spn chilli powder
1 tbl spn rice flour (optional)
Oil
Salt
Soak the skewers in water for some time

Cut both ends of the bhindi and slit slightly. Apply salt, asafoetida, tamarind, chilli powder to them. Leave it aside for 15-20mins.
Now arrange the pieces on skewers.
Roll them in a mixture of semolina and rice flour.

Shallow fry on tava. Serve hot.

Shorshe Dharosh / Okra with Mustard sauce

Dharosh / Okra - 30 small, both ends trimmed

Yellow Mustard seeds~ 3 tbsp

Poppy Seeds / KhusKhus / Posto ~ 1 tbsp

Green Chilies ~ 3

Salt ~ a pinch

Soak all the above for 30 minutes and make a paste of it.

Nigella seeds/Kalo Jeera ~ 1/2 tsp

Green Chilies ~ 3 chilies slit lengthwise

For the gravy/sauce:

Mustard Paste ~ 2 heaped tbsp of the prepared paste

Yogurt ~ 1 tbsp - mix with mustard paste and leave the two for 10 minutes

Peanut Oil
Mustard Oil (optional)

Sugar

Salt
Turmeric

Heat Oil in a Kadhai /Frying Pan. Temper with Kalo Jeera and Green Chili.

When the spices start sputtering add the washed and dried okra. Sauté the okra for 4-5 minutes with a pinch of turmeric. Do not deep fry them, they should be tender and half cooked. You will know because they will glisten and have turned soft by this time.
 

Mix the mustard paste with yogurt and add the mixture to the okra.

Add salt and sugar. Mix well, add a dash of mustard oil and cover and cook. Stir intermittently till the okra is done.