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    Home » Indian Recipes » Dry Sabzi Recipes

    Bhindi Masala (Indian Okra Stir Fry)

    Published on October 23, 2021 · Updated on October 23, 2021 - This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. See disclosure policy.

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    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

    Bhindi Masala (Indian Okra Stir Fry) is a popular Indian dish made by cooking bhindi / indian okra in onion tomato masala. Usually made as a dry sabzi / stir fry of sorts, that gets ready under 30 minutes, and goes extremely well with rotis.

    a big bowl of bhindi masala, served with rotis and yogurt on the side

    In my family, we love Bhindi, and so it’s an easy veggie to keep in regular rotation at our place. And this Bhindi Masala is my go-to dish to make, as it is a relatively quick and easy way to incorporate bhindi on a day to day basis. But of-course we love kurkuri bhindi too, though I don’t make it as often.

    That being said, when I first started cooking, I used to be a little hesitant to deal with bhindi, because bhindi as a veggie needs to be handled right, otherwise it can get really sticky. Though honestly, it’s just a matter of knowing how to handle it, and it’s a fairly easy veggie to work with.

    And that’s why I’ve shared my recipe for bhindi masala, along with tips on how to prep and handle bhindi to avoid it from getting sticky.

    Here’s my step by step recipe for making Bhindi Masala.

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients You Need
    • How to Prep Bhindi to Avoid it from Getting Sticky / Slimy
    • How to Make Bhindi Masala – Step by Step
    • Time Saving Tip
    • Serving Suggestion
    • More quick + easy recipes to try..
    • 📖 RECIPE

    Ingredients You Need

    top shot of all the ingredients required to make bhindi masala
    ingredients – bhindi, oil, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, chopped chillies, hing, chopped onions, salt, ginger garlic paste, spices for flavoring (red chilli, garam masala, coriander, cumin, turmeric), chopped tomatoes

    Ingredient notes

    Bhindi Masala can be flavored many different ways, based on your preference.

    I love using mustard seeds and curry leaves to give it a slight south indian twist, in addition to the whole garam spices. You can skip it if you don’t have them or prefer them. But if you do have them on hand, then definitely try out this combination – you will love it!

    How to Prep Bhindi to Avoid it from Getting Sticky / Slimy

    The most important thing to remember to handle bhindi right is that you need to avoid moisture, during all stages of handling and cooking bhindi.

    I usually make bhindi masala using 1 pound of bhindi at a time, as that is a good enough quantity for 4-6 people, depending on whether you are having it as the main dish for lunch / dinner or as a side with dal rice etc. So I am sharing the measurements and time for that quantity here.

    You can always use the slider in the recipe card below to adjust the quantity of ingredients, if you need to make more or less quantity.

    With that being said.. follow this method to prep bhindi to avoid them from getting sticky and slimy in bhindi masala –

    • Take 1 pound bhindi, and wipe all of them with a damp towel once to clean them. When done, wipe all of them with a dry towel or paper towel to dry them off. Do not wash the bhindi using water, as they need to be kept as dry as possible to avoid them from getting slimy.
    • Cut off both the ends of the bhindi and discard them. Then chop the bhindi into small pieces of roughly half an inch or based on your preference. I usually keep a paper towel handy, while chopping bhindi, to wipe off the slime that gets on the knife. You can also coat the blade of the knife with lemon juice – the acid helps control the slime.
    • Then in a wide bottomed pan (wide enough that all the bhindi touches the bottom), lightly heat up 1½ tablespoon of oil, for about a minute or so, and then add in the chopped bhindi, and mix it in, ensuring to coat all the bhindi with a little oil.
    step by step photos of prepping bhindi to avoid it from getting sticky or slimy while making bhindi masala
    • Lightly roast the bhindi for about 10-15 minutes on medium flame, stirring intermittently, till it gets lightly roasted, and develops a slight color on the edges.
    • When done, turn off the flame, and set it aside. Pre roasting bhindi in a little oil, avoids it from getting slimy later when mixed in the onion tomato masala for making bhindi masala.
    step by step photos of pre-roasting chopped bhindi to avoid it from getting sticky and slimy later

    How to Make Bhindi Masala – Step by Step

    • In a pan, add 1½ tablespoon of oil, and lightly heat it up for about a minute.
    • To it add ½ teaspoon of cumin seeds, and then ½ teaspoon of mustard seeds, and let them roast for a minute or so.
    • When the mustard seeds start crackling, add 10 curry leaves, 1 chopped green chilli, and 1 teaspoon asafoetida / hing. Mix everything together, and lightly roast them for 30 seconds or so.
    • Then add 1 cup of chopped onions, along with 1 teaspoon of salt, and saute on medium flame for 7-8 minutes, till the onions turn light brown in color.
    • When the onions are done, add 1 tablespoon of ginger garlic paste, mix it in, and lightly roast it for 1-2 minutes, just until the raw smell of ginger and garlic goes away.
    • Then add the spice powders (preferably all together, to avoid them from burning, so best to pre mix them and add) – ½ teaspoon red chilli powder, ½ teaspoon garam masala powder, ½ teaspoon coriander powder, ¼ teaspoon cumin powder, and ⅛ teaspoon turmeric powder. Here you can also add a splash of water and lower the flame for a bit to avoid the masalas from getting burnt.
    • Lightly roast the spices for about 30-60 seconds.
    step by step photos of making onion tomato base for bhindi masala
    • When the spices have been lightly roasted, add in ¾ cup of chopped tomatoes, and saute for 2-3 minutes, till the tomatoes have cooked down a bit.
      
    • Now to this add the pre-roasted chopped bhindi, mix it in, and saute for 5 minutes or so, till the bhindi is fully done. Here it is best to not cover the pan while cooking bhindi, so as to not incorporate any additional steam or moisture, which might make the bhindi slimy.
      
    • When done, turn off the flame, and serve hot.
    step by step photos of making bhindi masala

    Time Saving Tip

    When you start pre-roasting the bhindi in oil, also start making the base of the bhindi masala. Because it will take 10-15 minutes to roast bhindi, and about 15 minutes to make the masala base before you need to add the pre-roasted bhindi. So you can save on time by doing them both simultaneously. 

    Serving Suggestion

    Bhindi masala goes very well with rotis / chapatis, and even as a side with dal rice.

    a close up shot of a small bite of roti and bhindi masala sabzi held in the hand

    More quick + easy recipes to try..

    ⭐️ Easy Paneer Bhurji (with a tasty twist)
    ⭐️ Roasted Makhana (ready in 10 minutes)
    ⭐️ Easy Sambar Recipe (perfect for beginners)

    As always, I hope you found this recipe useful. If you did, please let me know your rating ⭐️ and feedback 📲 in the comments below, or simply rate the recipe right on the recipe card. I’d really appreciate it. ❤️ 

    📖 RECIPE

    a big bowl of bhindi masala, served with rotis and yogurt on the side

    Bhindi Masala Recipe (Dry Sabzi)

    step by step recipe to make bhindi masala (indian okra stir fry), shared with pro tips to ensure that bhindi doesn't turn slimy or sticky
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Indian
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 674kcal
    Author: Shantala Shenoy Nayak

    Equipment

    • 12″ hexclad saute pan
    • 12″ hexclad stir fry wok

    Ingredients

    • 1 pound bhindi (okra)
    • 3 tablespoon oil divided
    • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
    • ½ teaspoon black mustard seeds (rai)
    • 10 curry leaves (cadipatta)
    • 1 green chilli chopped
    • 1 teaspoon asafoetida powder (hing)
    • 1 cup chopped onions
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
    • ½ teaspoon red chilli powder
    • ½ teaspoon garam masala powder
    • ½ teaspoon coriander powder
    • ¼ teaspoon cumin powder
    • ⅛ teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi)
    • ¾ cup chopped tomatoes
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    For prepping bhindi (okra) ~ to ensure it doesn't turn slimy

    • Take 1 pound bhindi, and wipe all of them with a damp towel once to clean them. When done, wipe all of them with a dry towel or paper towel to dry them off. Do not wash the bhindi using water, as they need to be kept as dry as possible to avoid them from getting slimy.
    • Cut off both the ends of the bhindi and discard them. Then chop the bhindi into small pieces of roughly half an inch or based on your preference. I usually keep a paper towel handy, while chopping bhindi, to wipe off the slime that gets on the knife. You can also coat the blade of the knife with lemon juice – the acid helps control the slime.
    • Then in a wide bottomed pan (wide enough that all the bhindi touches the bottom), lightly heat up 1½ tablespoon of oil, for about a minute or so, and then add in the chopped bhindi, and mix it in, ensuring to coat all the bhindi with a little oil.
    • Lightly roast the bhindi for about 10-15 minutes on medium flame, stirring intermittently, till it gets lightly roasted, and develops a slight color on the edges.
    • When done, turn off the flame, and set it aside. Pre roasting bhindi in a little oil, avoids it from getting slimy later when mixed in the onion tomato masala for making bhindi masala.

    For making bhindi masala

    • In a pan, add 1½ tablespoon of oil, and lightly heat it up for about a minute.
    • To it add ½ teaspoon of cumin seeds, and then ½ teaspoon of mustard seeds, and let them roast for a minute or so.
    • When the mustard seeds start crackling, add 10 curry leaves, 1 chopped green chilli, and 1 teaspoon asafoetida / hing. Mix everything together, and lightly roast them for 30 seconds or so.
    • Then add 1 cup of chopped onions, along with 1 teaspoon of salt, and saute on medium flame for 7-8 minutes, till the onions turn light brown in color.
    • When the onions are done, add 1 tablespoon of ginger garlic paste, mix it in, and lightly roast it for 1-2 minutes, just until the raw smell of ginger and garlic goes away.
    • Then add the spice powders (preferably all together, to avoid them from burning, so best to pre mix them and add) – ½ teaspoon red chilli powder, ½ teaspoon garam masala powder, ½ teaspoon coriander powder, ¼ teaspoon cumin powder, and ⅛ teaspoon turmeric powder. Here you can also add a splash of water and lower the flame for a bit to avoid the masalas from getting burnt.
    • Lightly roast the spices for about 30-60 seconds.
    • When the spices have been lightly roasted, add in ¾ cup of chopped tomatoes, and saute for 2-3 minutes, till the tomatoes have cooked down a bit.
    • Now to this add the pre-roasted chopped bhindi, mix it in, and saute for 5 minutes or so, till the bhindi is fully done. Here it is best to not cover the pan while cooking bhindi, so as to not incorporate any additional steam or moisture, which might make the bhindi slimy.
    • When done, turn off the flame, and serve hot. Bhindi masala goes very well with rotis / chapatis, and even as a side with dal rice.

    Notes

    Time saving tip: When you start pre-roasting the bhindi in oil, also start making the base of the bhindi masala. Because it will take 10-15 minutes to roast bhindi, and about 15 minutes to make the masala base before you need to add the pre-roasted bhindi. So you can save on time by doing them both simultaneously. 
    Please note: The nutrition values are best estimates provided as a courtesy. The exact values can vary depending on the exact ingredients or brands used. If you rely on them for your specific diet and/or health issues, please consult a registered dietician or nutritionist.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 674kcal | Carbohydrates: 64g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 45g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Sodium: 2796mg | Potassium: 2018mg | Fiber: 23g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 4161IU | Vitamin C: 339mg | Calcium: 550mg | Iron: 7mg

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    Hi there, I am Shantala, an Indian foodie in an American kitchen. Welcome to The Love of Spice - my food blog, virtual home & passion project, all rolled into one. On here I share Easy-to-Follow Family Recipes, along with tips on Indian Meal Planning & Lunch Box Ideas for Kids & Adults. I hope you enjoy the site, and find it useful. :) read more

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