Improve Bhindi: 7 Yummy Indian Recipes Using Okra

Bhendi is one of the most misunderstood veggies in all of India. This pod, often called ladyfingers or okra, has a terrible reputation for being slimy and unappealing, but you really only need to know how to prepare it properly.

Every Indian state has developed unique methods for transforming bhindi into mouthwatering meals that include regional spices and flavors. Try these 7 recipes the next time you’re at a loss for what to do with bhindi.

Kurkuri Hindi
Batter-fried veggies are a great technique to win someone over to your point of view and make them fall in love. This recipe calls for slicing bhindi into thin strips, tossing them with spices and besan flour, then deep-frying them until they are golden brown. No one can resist this crispy spin on the vegetable as a snack or side dish.

Thoran Vendakkai
Many recipes in Kerala are prepared with “thoran,” which is basically a stir-fry with coconut and spices. To make Vendakkai Thoran, curry leaves, mustard seeds, onions, chopped coconut, and a little bit of urad dal are cooked with Bengal gram for added crunch. This may be included in a bigger sadya dinner, or eaten on its alone with parotta.

Darosh Shorshe
The traditional Bengali flavors of powdered mustard and poppy seeds are accentuated in this recipe, which is referred to as “darosh” in West Bengal. To maintain the texture of the vegetable, the bhindi is first cooked until crispy and then blended with the sauce just before serving.
Sorsori Bhindi

In Assam, too, mustard is used in the traditional preparation of bhindi, known as sorsori, a paste made of mustard and ginger. In contrast to the Bengali version, however, the bhindi begins with a cooking of panch phoron, which is a mixture of equal parts cumin, kalonji, fenugreek, and mustard seeds. Before serving, it is cooked in the mustard mixture for ten minutes.
Bhendi Bharli
In Maharashtra, besan and spices are filled inside bhindi, also known as bhendi, which is then deep-fried till golden and bursting with flavor. The most often used spice blend is the well-known Goda Masala from the area, which is renowned for its rich flavors and sweet aroma. It is well combined with toasted coconut flakes before being cooked and packed into bhindi.

Bhendi Solantulem
Goa, a bit farther down the coast, offers its own take on bhindi special, adding the sour edge of Kokum this time. The souring agents around the western coast change significantly with distance; in Goa, for example, kokum is used to produce a dry stir-fry meal loaded with veggies that may be eaten with roti or bread.

Achari Dahi Bhindi
This Punjabi meal has the perfect balance of chilly dahi and tart spices. This meal, which is cooked with tomato, yoghurt, and spices like fennel and mustard seeds, is a flavor explosion that is balanced by the smoothness of dahi.