Bhindi...Okra...Ladyfinger.....different names to the same old thing....BHINDI :o)
One of the easiest way of making Bhindi.....and a delicious one too...
All you need is -
Bhindi - medium sized and fresh, say 20-30
Potato - say 2-3 medium sized potato
Masalas - Salt, Turmeric Powder (Haldi), Red Chilly Powder (Lal Mirch pissi), Coriander powder (Dhaniya Powder), Mango Powder (Amchoor)
Cooking Oil
Tip - Don’t put wet bhindi for cooking, it will become lacy.....so after washing the Bhindi clean, wipe it dry.....
Lets get to cooking now -
Take the bhindi (washed & dried), and cut off its head and tail and Slit them on the side...as you are going to put some filling in it.
Take the potatoes and peel them. Cut them into circular slices of medium thickness. The slices shouldn't be very thin.
In a separate bowl put 1 tablespoon salt, 1/2 tablespoon turmeric powder, 2 tablespoon coriander power, 1/2 tablespoon red chilly powder. Mix well and then add about 2 tablespoon cooking oil to it. Make it a smooth paste not very liquidy, neither very thick. Just enough so it holds itself. Then using the knife fill this into the bhindi through the slit.
Take a pan and put on medium flame. Put some cooking oil and heat for about 30sec before putting the bhindi. Sauté it for a couple of minutes. Then lower the heat to a minimum and cover with a lid and leave it for cooking for about 5mins.
After 5mins open the lid, stir the bhindi around and add the potato slices. Sprinkle some more turmeric powder, salt, chilly powder and coriander powder. And Stir. Cook for a couple of mins on medium heat. At this stage I normally ensure that the potato slices are touching the base of the pan and the Bhindi is sitting on them. This is to ensure that the bhindi doesn’t get burnt / overcooked. Then I lower the heat and leave it for another 10mins with the lid covering the pan. By the time I open the lid again the potatoes and bhindi are almost cooked. But I like the potatoes crisp. So I turn the potato slices and cook the other side too for another 5mins on low heat and lid on the pan. Even now my bhindi is resting on the potato slices and not on the pan. The bindi still greenish in colour but very much cooked.
Finally switch off the heat and leave the pan covered for another 5mins before serving hot.
Well I use a lot of oil as I feel this tastes better that way, but to not use as much, you can make it in a non-stick pan and use just a little for the taste.
Masala Bhindi is best eaten with Paranthas or together with Daal & Roti as a side dish.
I haven't made it recently, but when I do next will upload the pik.
Enjoy eating!!!!!!
