Dahi Bhindi – Spice Up The Curry

Looking for a delicious, non-slimy okra side dish for your roti or paratha? Try this dahi bhindi once and it will be on your menu very often. Here stir-fried okra is added into the medium spicy, tangy, yogurt-based gravy.

❤️About This Recipe

Everyday kind of sabzi: This dahi bhindi is a healthy dish that can be included in your everyday menu.

Lunch-box friendly: This can be packed into kids’ or adults’ lunchboxes. Make sure to pack roti or paratha in a separate container.

This dahi bhindi is super easy to make and you cannot mess this such a simple recipe.

Taste & Flavor: Dahi bhindi has a slight tang from tomatoes and yogurt adds a sourness with some tang. It has a medium-spicy taste.

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.

????Ingredient Notes

Here is the pic of the ingredients required to make this dahi bhindi. All of them are basic and easily available.

• Okra: You can use fresh or frozen okra. 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 them 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.
  • I always prefer to buy desi okra from Indian grocery stores. These are long and thin with fewer seeds. The one you get in American stores is really thick and has bigger size seeds which I do not prefer.
• Fennel seeds: It adds a sweet flavor profile, that goes perfectly with the tanginess of the yogurt.
• Kasoori methi: Always crush the kasoori methi before adding. By crushing it you’re releasing its flavor and aroma.
• Yogurt: Make sure not to use sour yogurt otherwise gravy becomes too sour. Always use fresh yogurt to avoid sourness.

????‍????Step By Step Photo Instructions

1) Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan on medium heat. Once hot add chopped okra and sprinkle salt.

2) 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.

3) In the same pan, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Once hot add cumin seeds, fennel seeds ahd dried chili (forgot to add here). Let the seeds sizzle a bit.

4) Add chopped onion, ginger paste, garlic paste and green chili.

5) Mix and saute until onion becomes light brown in color and there will be no raw smell of ginger garlic.

6) Add tomatoes, mix and cook.

7) Cook until tomatoes are soft and mushy. While stirring, do mash tomatoes using the back of the spoon.

8) Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder and remaining salt.

9) Mix and cook for a minute or until the fat starts to ooze out from the sides.

10) Add water and let the gravy comes to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 4-5 minutes.

11) Now make sure that heat is the lowest possible. Add whisked yogurt by one hand and keep stirring into the gravy using another hand to avoid curdling.

12) Once the yogurt is mixed you can make the heat back to medium.

13) Add garam masala and crushed kasoori methi, mix well.

14) Add cooked okra and mix.

15) Let it simmer for 2 minutes only. Do not simmer for longer otherwise okra gets too soft and mushy.

????Expert Tips

• 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 them.
• 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 slimy. 4) cook them uncovered.
• While cooking the bhindi, make sure that okra is soft yet it has a bite. It should hold the shape. It should not be mushy
• You need to be careful while adding yogurt. Make sure to lower the heat. And stir immediately after adding yogurt. Otherwise, yogurt will curdle. Curdled yogurt will not taste and look pleasant.
• Do not cook longer after adding cooked okra into the gravy otherwise, okra will get overcooked and becomes mushy and flavorless.

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