This is a flavor packed traditional okra aka bhendi curry that can be served with any flatbread or rice. This is one of our family favorites. Vegan yogurt can be used instead of regular yogurt.
Bhendi or okra is a family favorite veggie! There is a small story associated with this veggie when we grew up. Our parents and grandmas used to say, "if you eat okra, you would do well in math and score 100%". We (my siblings as well as all cousins) believed and will have this veggie whether we scored 100% or not. Well, we hoped that in the future we would score. Hope carries you forward. Looking back, this is a trick to make everyone eat the veggie, and the tradition has to follow, right? So I said the same to my kids. Well, they love this veggie in any form and they have labeled okra curry as "math curry"! Whether it is vendakai (in Tamil for okra) sambhar, raita, dry sautéed curry or gravy, this is loved, loved, loved so much and is the most often requested veggie in our veggie. This curry too!
Coming back to this dahi bhendi, well, as the name says the creamy curry gets its lip-smacking flavors from the yogurt or dahi. This curry is simple to make, but it just requires a couple of things that should be taken care of. The okra should be dry, washed and wiped before cooking, so that the sliminess will be reduced. This will make you rethink the sliminess associated with okra. If making a bigger batch, pan fry the okra with required oil in batches. It is important to have them in a single layer during the pan frying process, or else will lead to sweating and will result in a mushy slimy okra.
It takes about 8-9 minutes for okra to cook/pan fry and in the meantime, the veggies can be prepped. This helps time management to bring the best tasting food to the table in less time as this makes a wonderful lunch or dinner side.
This curry with simple pantry essential spice powders and fresh yogurt makes it an easy and delicious curry that the family would love and can be made easily. Pan fry the okra, followed by cooking onions, and then ginger-garlic paste, and tomatoes. Then add the spice powders, cook , add yogurt/dahi, and the okra, simmer for fine minutes and you have the best tasting comfort curry to devour with simple everyday roti.
I have used my homegrown cherry tomatoes, but any tomato can be used. It can be skipped too, the curry will have a milder color. Adjust the salt and spice level accordingly.
Garbanzo flour is used in this recipe. Besan or rice flour can be used. The flour is the thickener used here.
This delicious curry is great for packing lunch, weekend brunch, or for weeknight dinner too! The following measurement is good for four hungry persons as a side. This can serve 8-10 if you are serving another curry and raita along. This is a crowd pleaser and the recipe can be easily doubled or quadrupled too! This can be served with any paratha too! Here are some flatbreads to serve with this curry.
This is my final post for this week's Blogging Marathon. This week, I am featuring gravies for flatbreads and that too the gravies are flavored with dahi or yogurt. Each curry has its own flavor profile. The distinct spices and the type of yogurt or labne used gives different and amazing flavor profiles in these Mughlai Moong Dal and Labne and Roasted Corn Masala, respectively.
Here are some of the tasty and lip-smacking, and comforting curries from the blog that are a perfect side for flatbreads as well as cooked grains.
Ingredients
Serves 4
Okra - 300 g, 1 or 1.5 inch pieces
Oil - 1/4 cup
For the Gravy
Onion - 1 cup, chopped
Garlic - 4 cloves
Ginger - 1.5-in piece
Cherry tomatoes - 1 cup, halved
Salt - 1 tsp
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Chili powder - 1/2 sp
Kashmiri chili powder - 1/2 tsp
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Water - 3/4 cup
Garbanzo flour - 1 tsp
Dried methi/fenugreek leaves - 1/2 tsp
Cilantro - 1 tsp, chopped, for garnish
Tempering
Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds - 1/8 tsp
Asafetida - 1/8 tsp
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Green chili - 1
Method
Heat quarter cup oil in a cast-iron pan or a Dutch oven and pan fry the okra, making sure to have them in a single layer on the pan. This may take about 8-10 minutes. Carefully, flip them once or twice in the process.
In the meantime, grind the ginger and garlic with one or two tablespoons of water to a smooth paste. Set aside.
Puree the tomatoes and set aside.
Once the okra pieces are pan fried, remove them from the pan. Add a tablespoon of oil to the same pan and add the tempering ingredients and fry for 40-50 seconds. Add the chopped onion, cook for 3-4 minutes, until it is translucent. Then add the ground ginger garlic paste and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add the pureed tomatoes followed by spice powders, cook for 3 minutes. Add the garbanzo flour and cook for a minute.
In the meantime, whisk the yogurt and add water to it.
Add the whisked yogurt and salt to the pan, mix well.
Add the pan-fried okra and simmer for 4-5 minutes.
Remove from the flame and add crushed dried fenugreek/methi leaves.
Transfer to serving bowl, garnish with cilantro and serve with roti/chapathi.
Tanya @ Moms Small Victories says
oh my goodness I'm so hungry now! i haven't had this dish since I was a little girl. I pinned it, stopping by from Happiness is Homemade link party
Vaishali Sabnani says
Dahi Bhindi sounds like a real delicious curry , the pics are very tempting and I have bookmarked the recipe to try soon.