This classic okra curry contains ripe tomatoes, onion and loads of Indian spices! Serve it hot or cold, as a spicy side dish or a light veggie lunch!
This is the first time ever that I cook with fresh okra!
Have you tasted or – let alone cooked or prepared okra before?
I have eaten okra a couple of times before, with mixed feelings afterwards. They ranged from delicious and crunchy to bland, comatose and rather slimy. So what is it about this okra then that people seem to enjoy so much after all?
I’m convinced that you have to find the right way to cook it. It’s true, undercooked or overcooked okra are not very pleasant.
You can grill, stew and fry okra. Those seem to be the most popular ways to prepare them. I have heard people complain about okra because they tend to be too slimy. And apparently that simply has to do with which okras you pick and how you prepare them afterwards.
The smaller the better, small okra tend to have a less slimier texture.
Okra Curry (Spicy Bhindi Masala with Tomatoes)
Also cook them fast when you want to fry, stir fry or grill them.
Use high heat and work fast. If you make stews, add tomatoes for instance. The acidity in the tomatoes will tackle the slime problem. A splash of lemon or lime juice will also do.
The best okra dish that I have ever tasted?
That must be in Atlanta, in a restaurant by the name of Chai Pani. The okra fries there were to die for. Excellent appetizer or vegetable side dish!
We loved this okra curry a lot, great flavors and the okras stay quite al dente. This dish also tastes great cold the day after, just saying!
I saw okra at the local farmers market and I thought it would make a great vegetable side dish for my butter chicken main course. Looking forward to next week’s farmers market because I hope that the lady still sells okra by then!
Enjoy!
The Recipe
- 7 oz fresh okra (200 g)
- 4,5 oz canned chopped tomatoes (125 g)
- ½ small onion sliced
- 2 large garlic cloves chopped
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- ½ tsp coriander seeds
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- ½ tsp sesame seeds
- ½ tsp garam masala
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- ½ tsp curcuma powder
- ½ tsp coriander powder
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger grated
- ½ tsp chili flakes
- 2 tbsp fresh cilantro chopped
- ½ tsp caster sugar
- nutmeg
- salt
- Trim the ends of the okras and chop the larges ones into bite-size bits. Rinse them well.
- Pour the vegetable oil in a large wok or non-stick pan and place it over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the okra.
- Stir fry the okra for 6 to 8 minutes until they start to soften. Then scoop them out of the hot wok (leave the remaining oil in the wok) and transfer the fried okra onto a clean plate. Set aside until needed later on. Then add the sliced onion and chopped garlic to the remaining oil in the wok.
- Stir fry the onion and garlic for 2 minutes. Then add the chopped canned tomatoes and all the spiced. Season with a pinch of salt and nutmeg. Also add 3 tablespoons of water.
- Stir fry the tomato mixture for until the liquid has almost gone.
- Keep stirring until you end up with a very sticky tomato paste. Make sure it doesn’t burn. Then add the butter.
- Also add the freshly chopped cilantro and the fried okra back to the wok.
- Take the wok off the heat and stir well. Then check the seasoning and add extra salt to taste if necessary. Scoop the okra and tomato sauce into a large bowl and serve.
