Simple Okra / Bindi fry

This is a very simple stir fry with minimal ingredients and less effort.

Bindi fry

Ingredients:

Okra – about 150 – 200 gms
Onion 1 – Finely chopped
Grated coconut (Fresh or dry) – 2 tbsp
Salt
Corriander powder – 3/4th tsp
Chilli powder – ½ tsp

For tempering –
Red chilli – 2
Curry leaves
Mustard
Cumin seeds
channa daal
Peanuts

Wash the Bindi / Okra drain them thoroughly and pat them with kitchen towel or alternatively, wipe them using a damp cloth or kitchen towel and at the end make sure that they are absolutely moisture free.

Cut the bindi equally into small pieces.
Chop the onion into small pieces.

Heat a deep pan and add 2 tblsp of oil.

When the oil is hot enough, then add red chilli, Peanuts, channa daal, mustard, cumin, curry leaves one after the other and fry until the peanuts change their colour.

Add chopped onion and fry for a minute and add chopped okra. No need to fry onion separately until transparent as it gets fried further along with okra.

Fry them for two minutes by stirring in between.

The okra starts getting sticky. Don’t worry. Just add small piece of tamarind. If you don’t like tamarind, just add 1 tsp of yogurt or even the whey will do.

Stir again, reduce the flame to medium and close the lid.

When the okra is half cooked, remove the lid sprinkle some salt, Coriander powder, chilli powder and stir very gently as okra tend to become mushy.

Do not cover the lid once you add salt and coriander + Chilli powder.

Stir occasionally until the okra becomes dry and bit crispy at the corners.

Sprinkle some grated coconut and remove from the fire.

Goes well with rice or roti.

Note: you can also grind the dry coconut, coriander powder and chilli powder coarsely and store in a bottle and can use it when ever you prepare any stir fries.