Masala bhindi or spiced okra is a north-Indian staple. It pairs well with a protein such as lamb or chicken. When I made it recently, I paired it with my Chicken Curry recipe and served it with some roti. The family loved it!!

When you are buying okra, look for smooth, tender, blemish-free, bright green pods. Avoid pods with brown spots or dry end. When you are cooking it quickly, like in a sauté, use okra that’s under 4 inches long.

Okra has many health benefits. It contains potassium, vitamin B, vitamin C, folic acid, and calcium. It’s low in calories and has a high dietary fiber content. Recently, a new benefit of including okra in your diet is being considered. Okra has been suggested to help manage blood sugar in cases of type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes. You can read more about its health benefits here.

  • 0.5lb bhindi (aka okra or lady finger), remove tops and tails and chop into 1 inch pieces
  • 1 medium size onion, chopped
  • 2 medium size tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
  • 1 tsp coriander powder
  • 1/4 tsp red chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1/2 tsp garam masala powder
  • 1/2 tsp amchur powder (dry mango powder)
  • Salt, as per taste
  • 2 tbsp oil for okra and 1 tbsp oil for frying the onion-tomato masala
  • 1 tsp crushed kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves – optional)
  1. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a wok or pan.
  2. Add the okra and saute till they are completely cooked, stirring regularly.
  3. Taste the okra and if the crunchiness has gone and they have softened, it means they are cooked.
  4. Remove from pan and set aside.
  5. Next add 1 tbsp oil to the same pan.
  6. Add the chopped onions and fry till they become translucent.
  7. Add the ginger-garlic paste and saute for 1/2 a minute or till the raw aroma of the ginger-garlic disappears.
  8. Add the chopped tomatoes and saute till they are soft and mushy.
  9. If the tomato mixture becomes too dry, add about 1/4 or 1/2 cup water and continue to cook.
  10. Add all the dry spice powders one by one and stir well.
  11. Saute for a minute.
  12. Next add the sauted okra, crushed kasuri methi and salt, mixing well so that the onion-tomato masala coats the okra.
  13. Continue to cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring in between.
  14. Serve the bhindi masala hot or warm, garnished with some coriander leaves and accompanied with chapatis, rotis or naan.