Whole Bhindi Sabji (whole Okra)

 

This is one of my favourite vegetables and my eyes light up at the sight of the bhindi sabji. It is cooked in many different ways in many countries of the world. It is also called lady’s fingers (the green seed filled pod that is edible). The variety is slightly different in Australia than in India and UK. The vegetable is thicker and bigger than what I have been used to in the past. When I first saw it here I wondered if it would be actually tender. I was pleasantly surprised that it is nice and soft but the seeds do tend to be bigger. However, I find this thicker skin variety does not suit my stomach and have had to resort to using the Indian variety as that come in frozen packs. This recipe is similar to the bharva bhindi but since I have frozen bhindi and cannot cut and stuff it, I have to crisp the bhindi with enough masala to coat the bhindi.

Ingredients

• 300 gm of whole small bhindi
• 1 large onion
• 1 inch piece of fresh ginger
• Half spoon of cumin seeds
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• Salt to taste 
• A pinch of sugar
• Half tea spoon of red chilli powder
• Half teaspoon of turmeric powder
• 2 teaspoons of coriander powder
• 1 teaspoon of cumin powder
• ½ teaspoon of garam masala
• 1 tablespoon of sattu atta or besan/gram flour
• Some lemon juice to taste
• Chopped fresh coriander to garnish

Preparation

• Chop onion – half it and then cut lengthways in about ½ to 1 cm chunks. These will cook down but still be visible and form the part of the masala around the bhindi. Chop ginger too into match sticks.
• Heat the oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds. It will heat up within a few minutes with the seeds darkening in colour. 
• Next add the chopped onion and ginger and sauté for a couple of minutes.
• Add the bhindi into the pan. Leave the lid off the pan when cooking. 
• Once the bhindi is half cooked add the salt, sugar, chilli powder, coriander and cumin powder, turmeric and the sattu atta /besan/ gram flour.
• Continue cooking with occasional stirring till the bhindi is cooked to almost crispy and spices plus the sattu atta and onions has blended to coat the bhindi.
• Add the garam masala last and cook for a minute longer.
• Add lemon juice and freshly chopped coriander to garnish.