Bhindi Masala
Jan 19, 2019, Updated Jun 08, 2020
Indian style okra stir fry with onions, tomatoes and spices! This dish is best enjoyed with warm rotis! Vegan and gluten-free.
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Bhindi Masala is a popular Indian dish made with okra, onion, tomatoes & spices! This stir fry is best enjoyed with warm rotis.
Okra or bhindi as it’s called in Hindi is a very popular vegetable in India. I think after paneer (which though is not a vegetable but most definitely treated like one in India), bhindi must be everyone’s favorite veggies especially kids.
I say this because I remember when I was a kid my friends, cousins who were very picky would always eat 2 veggies – paneer and okra. I’m yet to meet a person who doesn’t like bhindi!
Sarvesh is a huge fan so I get bhindi every other week from the stores. While I do cook it in several ways, this bhindi masala recipe is my absolute favorite. It’s a simple recipe and tastes so good with rotis and paratha.
Roti + dal + bhindi masala = pure comfort food for me! I can pretty much have this combination for the rest of my life.
However bhindi is not very popular here, in the US. I see it sometimes at Whole Foods but mostly you can get it only at the Indian store. I know it’s used in some southern recipes but other than that, not so much.
I think it’s popularity will grow in the coming years since it’s a low calorie vegetable. I recently saw baked okra at Trader Joe’s, so it’s definitely getting popular.
Benefits of Bhindi (Okra)
Not only is bhindi tasty, it also has some amazing health benefits.
✓ rich in folic acid and vitamin B6.
✓ low calorie vegetable
✓ half cup of raw okra has only about 16 calories!
If you are following the very popular keto diet these days, bhindi will be a great addition to your menu.
How to Make Bhindi Less Slimy
If you cook bhindi often, then you are well aware about this problem – the sliminess!
The vegetable exudes a substance called mucilage which makes it slimy. So how do you make it less slimy/sticky?
1. Wash and pat dry the okra before chopping. If you try to cut the okra without pat drying it will be very slimy.
I usually wash it and then put all the okras on a paper towel (in single layer) and let them dry for some time and then pat dry each okra with a paper towel.
If you can plan in advance, it would be good to wash the okra and then let it air dry overnight. That way you wouldn’t need to pat dry each bhindi separately.
You will be good to use the bhindi in the morning straight away.
2. Fry the okra in little oil before adding it to the curry/masala. That’s what I have done in this recipe, fried the okra till all the sliminess disappeared. This takes around 15 minutes on medium-low flame.
Do not cook on high flame else the okra will get brown quickly, even before the sliminess can go away.
How to make Bhindi Masala
This bhindi masala recipe calls for basic Indian masala with onion, tomatoes, ginger and spices.
We start by cooking the bhindi first until the sliminess almost goes away. Once that is done, then we cook the masala and then add the cooked bhindi to it. Simple isn’t it?
And the best way to serve it? With warm roti and dal. That’s my personal favorite but of course you can serve it whatever you like – paratha, rice.
Hope you guys like this simple bhindi masala recipe as enjoy it as much as we do.
Method
1- Wash and pat dry each bhindi with a paper towel and then chop it into rounds (remove the head and little bit from the tail before chopping).
Set aside. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a pan on medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the chopped bhindi to the pan. Let is cook on medium heat for 10 mins, then lower the heat to low and cook 5 more minutes. Stir often.
The bhindi is mostly cooked by now (after 15 mins) and there should be very little sliminess left. Remove pan from heat.
2- To another pan (or use the same pan after transferring bhindi to a bowl), now add the remaining 1.5 tablespoons oil on medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add cumin seeds and let them sizzle for few seconds.
3- Add chopped onion and saute for 2 to 3 minutes until soft. Then add the ginger and green chili and cook for 1 more minute.
4- Add chopped tomatoes and cook for around 4 minutes until soft and mushy.
5- Then add the spices – coriander powder, turmeric, amchur, red chili powder and salt. Mix the spices well with the masala.
6- I added a tablespoon of water at this point so that the spices do not burn. Stir well.
7- Add the cooked bhindi to the pan and mix well.
8- Set heat to low-medium and cook for 5 minutes without covering the pan.
Sprinkle with garam masala. Garnish with ginger juliennes if needed. Serve bhindi masala with rotis/paratha/rice.
More Bhindi Recipes on the Blog!
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This post has been updated from the recipe archives, first published in 2014.
Bhindi Masala
Ingredients
- 2.5 tablespoon oil divided
- 500 grams bhindi okra, chopped into rounds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 medium red onion chopped
- 1 inch ginger chopped
- 1 green chili chopped, or more to taste
- 2 medium tomatoes chopped
- 1.5 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon amchur dried mango powder
- 1/4 teaspoon red chili powder or to taste
- 3/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
- garam masala to sprinkle
- ginger julienne to garnish
Instructions
- Wash and pat dry each bhindi with a paper towel and then chop it into rounds (remove the head and little bit from the tail before chopping). Set aside. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a pan on medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the chopped bhindi to the pan. Let is cook on medium heat for 10 mins, then lower the heat to low and cook 5 more minutes. Stir often.The bhindi is mostly cooked by now (after 15 mins) and there should be very little sliminess left. Remove pan from heat.
- To another pan (or use the same pan after transferring bhindi to a bowl), now add the remaining 1.5 tablespoons oil on medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add cumin seeds and let them sizzle for few seconds.
- Add chopped onion and saute for 2 to 3 minutes until soft. Then add the ginger and green chili and cook for 1 more minute.
- Add chopped tomatoes and cook for around 4 minutes until soft and mushy.
- Then add the spices - coriander powder, turmeric, amchur, red chili powder and salt. Mix the spices well with the masala.I added a tablespoon of water at this point so that the spices do not burn. Stir well.
- Add the cooked bhindi to the pan and mix well. Set heat to low-medium and cook for 5 minutes without covering the pan.
- Sprinkle with garam masala. Garnish with ginger julienne if needed. Serve bhindi masala with rotis/paratha/rice.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Delicious! Thank you for the recipe!
welcome!
Hi Manal,
Thank you so much for this tasty dish. I love bhindi dish, in the receipie you have included a very reasonable healthy amount oil and thw way is done rather than deep frying bhindis in oil.
Thumps up
I love it. But, I wonder, is Bhindi a Hindu food? I’m originally from Arkansas, USA, and we eat a lot of okra – mostly fried in a corn meal batter. Delicious. I am now a big fan of an Indian restaurant located here in Prince George, British Columbia, Canada.
I only know that okra is a popular vegetable in India, we eat it a lot 🙂
Absolutely delicious! Excited to try your other recipes!
thanks Rachel for trying!
Thanks for the delicious Bhindi Masala Recipe.
Thanks for sharing this amazing recipe. I’ve added boiled mini golden potatoes into step 6. Pinch of sugar to taste aswell. Yum…Yum
I will try it
This is the best bhindi masala recipe I have ever made through a recipe. Thank you!!! My husband and I absolutely loved it!!!
glad to know Mala
I don’t always follow recipes as closely as I followed this one. Very pleased with the results. I will use your recipe again. 😊
I used frozen cut okra and skipped the pre-frying step. I drained the juice that came out of the thawing okra but I’m now sure it’s ok not to drain it because I had to add a little water later. I also used a 4oz can of medium green chilies (drained) instead of fresh.
The most amazing recipe website. Simply following Her recipes to the tee results in the most amazing dishes. My cooking isn’t consistent but following Manali’s recipes (Punjabi Chole and Bhindi Masala), I’ve been able to consistently cook and enjoy two of my favorite dishes.
Really want to Thank Manali for posting Her recipes. Super Grateful to Her!
Thank you Sumeet, I am so glad to hear! 🙂
In the winter I make this at least once every few weeks. It’s a staple. I now know the recipe by heart. Thank you so much for sharing it!
Had some okra left after making pickles so made your bhindi masasla, substituting what I didn’t have with what I did have and it turned out very nice. Will keep this as a quick go-to for future emergencies.
glad to know!
Lovely recipie!
Can you reheat this if there are leftovers?
yes easily
Thanks! I didn’t have the mango powder but it was delicious with some mango pickle.
Great recipe! I’ve been making Indian food for years, and never liked okra masala because of the texture of the okra, but this recipe taught me the proper way to prepare it so that it was not slimy!
glad it was helpful Mark!
Do you think it would work with frozen okra when we can’t find fresh?
yes some readers have made it with frozen okra!
This recipe is wonderful! Bhindi masala is one of my very favorite dishes to order at Indian restaurants, and I’m so glad to be able to make it at home now, too! And a bonus: it’s less oily than it usually is at restaurants.
glad to know Alice!
Delicious!!! Was hoping for leftovers but we ate it all tonight! Followed the recipe and it turned out great. Found amchur powder on Amazon. Paired the masala with coconut basmati rice. My only regret is that I did not make a double batch.
This is FABULOUS! Even the bhindi being cooked by itself in the oil smells wonderfully fresh. My tomatoes came out chunkier because I forgot to add the salt with the spices. And I had to sub lemon juice for the amchur. But it looks and tastes wonderful. Thank you so much. 🙂
Simple and tasty.
I grew okra for the first time this year. I’ve always loved okra in many ways, but I’ve not tried making a Bhindi Masala. It’s always been a favorite dish when dining in an Indian restaurant. I used tomatoes and onions from my garden too, so it was a real farm to table meal. Fabulous with Basmati rice!
glad to know!
Hi! Where do you live to be able to grow okra? I have tried, unsuccessfully, in Melbourne, Australia.
Diana
I grow Okra every year in southern USA, Alabama. Okra is a staple here in the south, but I have never tried to cook this Indian method. This is excellent!
First year I’ve grown okra, looking for recipes, this is definitely the best one I found so far.
This is a very good recipe. The bhindi came out perfect. Next time I’ll add channa (garbanzo). And definitely will add garlic. A great meatless meal.
Great easy recipe. I used some frozen okra that we grew in our yard. Turned out very nice.
This turned out great! I unfortunately didn’t have much bhindi (only 100 g), so I filled out the recipe with green beans and snake gourd. I also couldn’t resist adding some garlic. Despite these changes, the result was delicious. Hopefully I can make it again with the full 500 g of bhindi.
Great idea! I was going to halve the recipe, but I think instead I will use some of the other veg I have, too.
Really great taste, I did a little experiment with some garlic and ajwain and lemon…turned out be awesome. Thinking to try same with karela also 😉.
Tried this today and it turned out amazing! Used a little ginger garlic paste because I didn’t have fresh ginger but topped with ginger julienned at the end because by the time I was done cooking the ginger arrived 😆 and I made it with frozen okra and it worked perfectly!
Any tips for using frozen bhindi? Do you wash and dry them as well?
I would add straight away, no need to wash
Hi Manali,
Thanks for this one. May I ask which dal goes best with this one?
cheers,
N
I usually make toor (arhar) or moong with bhindi
Great recipe and comes together fairly quickly. I used frozen bhindi because I couldn’t get fresh and it was fine.
I love bhindi masala from local Indian restaurants & I enjoy it so much that I decided I needed to learn how to make it myself. I tried your recipe tonight and it was delicious! I can’t wait to make it again.
Hi! Which dal would you pair with this dish? Thanks!
Any- chana dal, moong dal, dal tadka, even great as a side with rajma and chole.
Great easy recipe, did it several times and always so good, thanks for posting it!
Awesome
Hi Manali,
Can I use frozen okra for this recipe?
Thanks
should work
Delicious just like in the restaurant one of my favorite dishes!
Really love this !
I have been craving for Bhindi and found this very useful.
I just made mine , taste authentic !
Love it ! Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Love this so much – perfect amount of spices, reminds me of what mom used to make. I also like the hint of mango powder.
Have made this three times now and am so happy with it! This is a favorite dish of ours when we dine out, but that’s harder with . We are so glad to be able to enjoy bhindi masala at home now. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
made this for dinner and it was amazing! had to use a can of tomatoes instead of fresh ones but it was fantastic.
Holy moly was this fantastic —my new favorite lunch recipe! I like to let the tomatoes cook down even longer so the flavors get extra concentrated. And a squeeze of lemon at the end just makes everything sing.
awesome!
Really wonderful, and this recipe provides all I needed to prepare the dish well.
Stirred leftovers in with scrambled eggs and that was really excellent too!