A Quick and Simple Bhindi Curry recipe just in 30 minutes

This is a very scrumptious yet quick and simple Indian style bhindi curry recipe made with bhindi, onion, tomato, green chilli, curd and a few basic spices. Prepared without ginger and garlic. Often, I make it at home, especially for my kids’ tiffin or to prepare a quick dinner. This is 30 30 minutes bhindi curry recipe. This bhindi curry contains a semi dry gravy, so goes well with roti or chapathi or with plain rice and dal.

This bhindi curry is also a one pot recipe, so this is a time saving recipe too. Generally, we use to fry the bhindi in oil before cooking in gravy; however, here we do not need to separately fry the bhindi, which saves time. For making a curry generally we have to make a masala paste that is also not needed for making this curry. Even no water is used in this curry, due to slow cooking, bhindi quickly releases water due to mixing with curd, onion, tomato and salt and makes the gravy. So no okra get mushy after cooking.

Anyone can make this bhindi curry at home but this recipe is especially helpful for bachelors or newly married girls who are basically beginners in cooking.

Important tips about this recipe

Bhindi – Bhindi is the common indian term for identifying the vegetable ladies’ finger or okra (also known as dharosh in the Bengali language). For making this sabji, I mainly use desi bhindi, or choose small or medium size, soft light green colour bhindi gives the best result. Before using this vegetable must wash it thoroughly and dry it before cutting. Wet bhindi quickly releases water after going in hot oil and gets mushy.

Yoghurt – Try to use fresh yoghurt(not too old) or curd. Fresh yogurt do not curdle in the gravy. Beat the yogurt well before adding in the gravy. If using 2-3 days old yogurt, when adding yogurt slow down the gravy or beat the yogurt with little water to prvent curdling.

Tomato – If you (especially for bachelors) do not have a tomato at home, you can use tomato ketchup or tomato sauce instead. But do not use more than 1 tbsp of tomato sauce or, as that turns the curry sour.

You can also check my Crispy (Kurkure) Bhindi Fry(without besan or cornflour) recipe with the help of step by step pictures you can make it at ease.

A Quick and Simple Bhindi Curry recipe

Recipe by Moumita PaulCourse: Quick Tiffin, Quick DinnerCuisine: Indian vegetarianDifficulty: Easy

Servings

5

servings

Prep time

5

minutes

Cooking time

25

minutes

Calories

300

kcal

Total time

30

minutes

Bhindi curry is a traditional Indian dish prepared with bhindi(okra/lady finger), onion, tomato, green chilli, curd and a few basic spices, garnished with coriander leaves. This is a very simple bhindi curry recipe anyone can make at home, just in 30 minutes. Goes well with roti or chapati, or rice and dal.

Ingredients of Bhindi curry

• 500 g Bhindi/Okra/Dharosh/Ladies Finger

• 3 tbsp Mustard Oil

• 1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds

• 2 Whole Red Chillies

• 1 Big Onion

• 1 Medium Tomato

• 2 ½ tbsp Curd

• 3 Green Chillies

• 1/2 tsp Coriander Powder

• 1/4 tsp Chilli Powder

• 1/2 tsp Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder

• 3/4 tsp Turmeric Powder

• 3/4 tsp Salt

• 1 tsp Sugar

• A Handful of Coriander Leaves

Method

• Thoroughly wash the bhindi 4-5 times, drain the water well and dry them up by keeping them in a kitchen towel.
• Cut the bhindi by removing the head and the tail first. Cut the bhindi into 3 pieces if medium, whereas cut into 2 pieces if small.
• Heat a pan on medium to high heat, wait until the pan gets hot, and add oil to the pan.
• Once the oil gets hot and releases smoke, add cumin seeds and whole red chillies. Fry them until the cumin crackles.
• Add the onion(cut into thin slices), stir well, and fry the onion until translucent(not golden brown).
• Then add the tomato(cut into thin slices) and fry with onion until their skin easily comes out with a light touch of the spatula.
• Then add the bhindi to the pan, and fry with onion and tomato until its sticky substance or moisture is no longer.
• Then only add salt and turmeric powder, and mix well.
• Add chilli powder, Kashmiri chilli powder, coriander(dhania) powder, and also mix well.
• Next, add curd(beat well and mix with 2 tbsp of water) and green chillies(slit). 
• Then add sugar and all stir well. Sugar is added to balance the tanginess of curd, though you can skip it; that is optional. 
• Now slow down the heat and cover the pan with a lid for 5 minutes.
• After 5 minutes, remove the lid, stir well and again close the lid for another 5 minutes. 
  
• After 5 minutes check the bhindi to take on the spatula and mash it with your fingertips. If the bhindi is easily mashed means the bhindi is perfectly cooked. 
• Lastly, add a handful of chopped coriander leaves over the curry, mix well, and our bhindi curry is ready.

Notes

• Use Salt and chilli as per your taste.
• Can refrigerate this curry for 3-4 days. Before serving microwave it or make it hot in a pan by sprinkling a little water and covering the pan, the flame should be low.

How to make a quick and simple bhindi curry

1. First, thoroughly wash the bhindi 4-5 times, drain the water well and dry them up with a kitchen towel.

2. Cut the bhindi by removing the head and the tail first. Cut the bhindi into 3 pieces if medium, cut into 2 pieces if small.

3. Heat a pan on medium to high heat, once the pan is hot, add 3 tbsp oil to the pan.

4. Once the oil gets hot and releases smoke, add cumin seeds and red chillies. Fry them until the cumin crackles.

5. Add the onion(cut into thin slices), fry the onion until translucent(not golden brown).

6. Then add the tomato(cut into thin slices) and fry the tomatoes until their skin easily comes out with a light touch of the spatula.

7. Then add the bhindi to the pan, and fry with the onion and tomatoes until its sticky substance or moisture is no longer left.

Otherwise, bhindi will release water and get soft and mushy while cooking.

8. Add salt and turmeric powder, and mix well.

9. Add chilli powder, Kashmiri chilli powder, coriander(dhania) powder, and mix well.

10. Then add curd or yogurt(beat well, mixing with 2 tbsp of water) and add 3 green chillies(slit). Mixing water with curd prevents the curd from curdling.

11. Next, add sugar and stir well. I always use sugar to balance the tanginess of curd. However, you can skip it as sugar is optional. 

12. Then, slow down the heat and cover the pan and cook for 5 minutes.

Low heat prevents the bhindi from burning, as no water is used here. Bhindi is cooking in the water released from the curd, onion and tomato.

13. After 5 mins, remove the lid, stir well and again cover the pan for another 5 mins. 

14. After 5 minutes, check whether the bhindi is completely cooked or not. Just take a bhindi on the spatula and mash it with your fingertips; if you can do it easily means the bhindi is perfectly cooked. 

15. Lastly, add a handful of chopped coriander leaves over the curry, mix well, and our bhindi curry is ready. Plate it with roti(phulka) or chapati or with dal and rice. Enjoy.