Okra Curry (Bhindi Curry)
This okra curry (aka bhindi curry) is a simple yet so delicious Indian gravy dish where okra is simmered in medium spicy, slightly tangy onion-tomato-yogurt gravy.
This North Indian style bhindi masala gravy goes well with roti, paratha, or any other Indian flatbread.
❤️ About This Okra Curry Recipe
Taste & Texture:
- Perfectly cooked okra (NOT mushy or slimy okra at all)
- Medium spicy onion-tomato gravy with a slight tang (from yogurt).
- Perfectly thick gravy consistency (not watery!)
Quick to make: For this okra curry, you’ll need to do some prep work like washing, drying and chopping okra. Once this prep is done, the curry comes together in just 20 minutes.
When working with yogurt (when adding into hot gravy), you’ll have to be a little careful otherwise it may curdle. So do follow the tips mentioned to avoid separation of yogurt.
The gravy is similar to my lauki kofta.
If you are an okra fan then I am sure you’ll love this. Do give this okra curry a try and let me know how you like it.
🧾 Ingredient Notes
- Okra: You can use fresh or frozen okra.
- Okra Prep: If using fresh ones then wash them really well. Keep them in a colander and let the water drain completely.
- If you have time then you can let it dry out naturally. Most of the time I wash them ahead of time in the day and let it air dry on their own. If you are in the rush then you can wipe it dry using a paper towel. It is important to make the okra dry completely to avoid stickiness afterward.
- Whole spices (cloves, cinnamon and cardamom) adds a nice aroma and flavor to the dish.
- Onion, tomato, ginger, garlic and green chili are ground into the fine paste and then cooked to make the gravy.
- Yogurt: You can use full-fat or low-fat yogurt. Any kind works.
- Whisk the yogurt until it is smooth before adding it to gravy.
- Spice powders: Basic Indian everyday spice powders like turmeric, red chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala are used to make this okra curry.
- Kasoori methi: Always crush kasoori methi between your palms before adding to replease its flavor.
- Sometimes kasoori methi gets moisture (if you live in humid climate) and you can’t crush them. If so spread it on a small plate and microwave it for 45 seconds. Let it cool down and now you can crush and add.
👩🍳 How To Make Okra Curry? (Pics)
1) Take washed and dried okra, trim both ends (head and tail) and discard. Cut the okra into 1-inch pieces. While chopping the okra, the knife will get sticky. Wipe the knife clean using a paper napkin or kitchen towel.
2) Chop all the okra. It is important to keep cleaning the knife as it gets sticky. It will help to avoid more stickiness.
3) Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan on medium heat. Once hot add okra and salt.
4) Mix well and let it cook until bhindi is tender. Do stir in between for even cooking. Okra will shrink and gets darker as it cooks. Remove it to a plate and keep it aside.
5) While it is cooking, chop onion and tomato roughly along with ginger, garlic and green chili.
6) Make a smooth paste using a grinder or blender.
7) Heat the remaining oil in the same pan. Once hot add whole spices (cloves, cinnamon, green cardamoms). Saute for 40-60 seconds or until you get a nice aroma of the spices.
8) Add cumin seeds and let them sizzle.
9) Add prepared puree and sprinkle a little salt. Be careful while adding salt, because we already added salt in bhindi.
10) Cook with stirring occasionally until all the moisture evaporates. It becomes a thick paste.
11) Add turmeric powder, red chili powder and coriander powder.
12) Mix well. Cook for a minute. Oil will starts to ooze out from sides.
13) Add water.
14) Stir well and let it simmer for 3-4 minutes.
15) Now lower the heat to lowest and then add yogurt and stir it immediately, so the yogurt does not curdle. Now turn the heat back to medium and bring it to a simmer.
16) Add crushed kasoori methi and garam masala. Mix well.
17) Add cooked okra.
18) Simmer for only 2 minutes. Turn off the stove. Don’t cook for a longer time after adding bhindi. Otherwise, it will get mushy.
💭 Expert Tips For Bhindi Curry
- Buying Okra:
- They should be long, fresh looking and dark green in color.
- Don’t buy those who have blemishes, cut or leaked internal juice.
- Try to buy those who have fewer seeds in it.
- How to avoid the sliminess –
- Okra should be dry before you chop them.
- Keep cleaning the knife as soon as it gets sticky.
- While cooking okra stir only 2 or 3 times only. If you stir too many times, it gets slimy.
- Cook them uncovered.
- While cooking the bhindi, make sure that okra is soft yet it has bite. It should hold the shape. It should not be mushy.
- Tomatoes should be ripe. Unripe tomatoes will make gravy sour in taste.
- You need to be careful while adding yogurt. Make sure to lower heat. And stir immediately after adding yogurt. Otherwise, yogurt will curdle. Curdled yogurt will not taste and look pleasant.
🍽 Serving Ideas
- This okra curry goes perfect with roti or paratha. At home, we love it with ajwain paratha. And to make it a complete meal, we like to serve kachumber salad and chaas on the side.
- This bhindi curry can be served as a side with your steamed rice. Personally, we do not like the rice and okra combination, but some do. It’s a personal preference.
Check Out Other Bhindi Recipes
PS Tried this okra curry recipe? Please leave a star rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comment section. I always appreciate your feedback! Plus, Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook for all the latest updates.
Okra Curry Recipe (Bhindi Curry)
US measuring cups are used (1 cup = 240 ml)
Ingredients
- 2 + 1 tablespoons Oil
- 250 grams or 2 to 2 ½ cups Okra (bhindi), cut into 1-inch pieces
- Salt to taste
- 1 medium or ¾ cup Red onion, roughly chopped
- 2 small or 1 cup Tomato, roughly chopped
- ½ inch Ginger
- 2 small cloves Garlic
- 1 Green chili
- ¼ inch Cinnamon stick
- 2 Green cardamoms
- 2 Cloves
- ½ teaspoon Cumin seeds
- ¼ teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon Red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon Coriander powder
- ¾ cup Water
- ¼ cup Plain yogurt, whisked until it gets smooth
- ½ teaspoon Kasoori methi (Dried fenugreek leaves), lightly crushed
- ½ teaspoon Garam masala
Instructions
Prep & Cooking Okra:
- Take washed and dried okra, trim both ends (head and tail), and discard. Cut the okra into 1-inch pieces. While chopping the okra, the knife will get sticky. Wipe the knife clean using a paper napkin or kitchen towel.
- Chop all the okra. It is important to keep cleaning the knife as it gets sticky. It will help to avoid more stickiness.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan on medium heat. Once hot add okra and salt.
- Mix well and let it cook until bhindi is tender. Do stir in between for even cooking. Okra will shrink and gets darker as it cooks. Remove it to a plate and keep it aside.
- While it is cooking, chop onion and tomato roughly along with ginger, garlic, and green chili. Make a smooth paste using a grinder or blender.
Making Okra Curry Recipe:
- Heat the remaining oil in the same pan. Once hot add whole spices (cloves, cinnamon, green cardamoms). Saute for 40-60 seconds or until you get a nice aroma of the spices.
- Add cumin seeds and let them sizzle.
- Add prepared puree and sprinkle a little salt. Be careful while adding salt, because we already added salt in bhindi.
- Cook with stirring occasionally until all the moisture evaporates. It becomes a thick paste.
- Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, and coriander powder. Mix well. Cook for a minute. Oil will starts to ooze out from sides.
- Add water. Stir well and let it simmer for 3-4 minutes.
- Now lower the heat to lowest. Add yogurt and stir it immediately, so the yogurt does not curdle. Now turn the heat back to medium and bring it to a simmer.
- Add crushed kasoori methi and garam masala. Mix well.
- Add cooked okra. Simmer for only 2 minutes. Turn off the stove. Don’t cook for a long time after adding bhindi. Otherwise, it will get mushy.
Notes
- How to avoid the sliminess – 1) Okra should be dry before you chop them. 2) keep cleaning the knife as soon as it gets sticky. 3) While cooking okra stir only 2 or 3 times only. If you stir too many times, it gets more slimy. 4) cook them uncovered.
- While cooking the bhindi, make sure that okra is soft yet it has bite. It should hold the shape. It should not be mushy.
- You need to be careful while adding yogurt. Make sure to lower heat. And stir immediately after adding yogurt. Otherwise, yogurt will curdle. Curdled yogurt will not taste and look pleasant.
- Tomatoes must be ripe otherwise gravy turns out sour.
My wife absolutely loved this recipe, and I had been wanting to make an okra curry recipe for years now. This recipe was so easy to follow and absolutely delicious
Glad to know that it came out good. Thank you for the feedback.
Delicious and very fragrant. Excellent with flat bread or toasted pita
Glad that you liked.