Thursday, 8 November 2012

Bhindi (okra or lady's fingers)

Bhindi is a very underrated and hence under used vegetable by most people.

 It needs a little respect and when cooked well is delicious!  I used to hate it as a kids, but my baby brother loved it so it was cooked regularly  now I find myself craving it!

When you pick them out at a supermarket, snap the ends, if they snap applying very little pressure you have a fresh vegetable, if they are bend and don't snap then move on.  If you use old or over ripe vegetables you won't get a yummy dish.

This is vegan again, and can be cooked  in a variety of ways, but here is my favourite.


Ingredients for serving 3-4 


  • 250g Bhindi, wash it well and then drain and dry eat vegetable with a cloth, or leave on a tray with a cloth until dry.
  • 3tbsp Light olive oil 
  • 1/2 Chopped onion
  • 1" fresh ginger peeled and finely chopped/ grated
  • 1 tsp Cumin/ Jeera
  • 1/2 tsp Ajowan/ oregano seeds
  • 1 fresh green chilli's chopped (the more you put in the hotter it gets)
  • 1tsp Garam masala
  • 1tsp Turmeric/ Haldi
  • 1 tsp salt
  • Hand full of fresh chopped coriander



Directions

  1. Once your bhindi are totally dry, remove the end and chop them into 1cm pieces and set a side. If you leave it wet or put water in the dish it will just become a mass of slime!
  2. Add your oil to your pan, for this dish I would use a wok or a pan you can move the food easily so it doesn't sweat and boil. Set the pan at a slow heat add your cumin seeds and ajowan, when they begin to crackle add your onion.
  3. Cook the onion till it is light brown and has lost its wateriness then add your ginger and chilli, stirring frequently.
  4. Continue to cook this till the ginger starts to colour then add your bhindi, turn the heat up a little and continue cooking for 10mins or until the bhindi starts to go brown at the edges.
  5. Add your dry spices and salt and continue stirring and cooking for another 5-10mins until there is no stickiness left in the bhindi. 
  6. Add the chopped coriander and serve as a main or side dish with roti, naan, or rice of your choice. It is lovely served as a side dish with any daal.  And enjoy!








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