Bhindi Masala is a popular restaurant style Indian dish of tender okra in a deliciously spiced tomato onion sauce. Serve it with roti or dal and rice.
Whether you love okra or hate it with a passion, you will love my recipe for bhindi masala.
Bhindi (okra) masala is a delicious north Indian stir-fry (sabzi) of okra in a spicy-sweet-tangy sauce. You will frequently find it in the vegetarian section of an Indian restaurant menu, alongside other sabzis like baingan bharta and aloo matar. It's so delicious, it is a dish I almost always order when I eat out. But my favorite bhindi masala has got to be my own, with tender pieces of okra in a richly spiced but not spicy tomato onion sauce.
One of the reasons I love this recipe so is because it's much healthier than a restaurant version, but it's also just as tasty. Traditionally, okra is deep-fried before it is added to the bhindi masala sauce. Frying gives the okra a crisp texture and because it's already tender you don't need to simmer it too long in the masala sauce where it could get slimy again.
For my healthier bhindi masala recipe, I air-fry the okra. This really is the perfect technique because it gives you crispy okra without using too much oil.
Here are a couple more techniques to reduce the slime:
- Make sure the okra is thoroughly dry when you use it. Rinse in a strainer and pat it dry. If you have more time, put the okra on a baking sheet and let it air dry until there's no visible moisture.
- Cook the okra uncovered after you add it to the sauce.
This bhindi recipe comes together really quickly - surprisingly so for a dish with so much flavor. You can make it even faster if you have my tomato onion curry sauce at hand (instructions are included separately in the recipe box below). It's soy-free, nut-free, gluten-free and vegan, therefore suitable to all diets. Hope you try!
Recipe card
Bhindi Masala
Ingredients
- 1 pound okra (washed, thoroughly dried, then trimmed into 1 ½-inch pieces lengthwise)
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or any neutral oil (divided)
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 medium onion (finely diced)
- 2 medium tomatoes (finely diced)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- ½ inch ginger (minced or julienned)
- 1 green chili pepper (like jalapeno or serrano, minced, optional)
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon paprika (or cayenne for more heat. You can adjust this quantity up or down per your taste)
- 1 teaspoon amchoor (or amchur, a dry mango powder. This adds lovely tanginess, but if you absolutely have to, sub with juice of a lemon)
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- Salt to taste
- 2 tablespoon cilantro (finely minced, for garnish)
Instructions
- Toss the okra with ½ teaspoon of oil and place in an air fryer basket. Air fry at 375 degrees for 8 minutes, tossing halfway through, or until the okra is almost tender. The okra should still look green, and should have a slight bite when your teeth dig into it. Set aside.
- Heat the remaining oil in a kadhai or wok or skillet. Add the cumin seeds and when they darken slightly, add the onions with a pinch of salt. Saute until the onions are translucent and begin to brown. Add the ginger, garlic and green chili peppers if using and continue to saute for a couple more minutes.
- Add the tomatoes, mix, then add the powdered spices -- coriander powder, turmeric, paprika or cayenne, amchoor and garam masala. You want to saute the tomatoes only until they are very mushy and have let go of all their liquid, making a nice sauce. If you overcook your tomatoes to the point where they have lost most of their moisture, they will also lose their sweetness, so don't overdo it. You want a hint of sweetness in this recipe to balance out the spicy, salty and tangy flavors. If your tomatoes aren't too sweet, add a teaspoon of sugar -- it'll do the trick.
- Add a cup of water to the tomatoes and onions and bring to a boil. Season with salt and add the okra to the sauce. Stir to mix and continue cooking 3-4 minutes until the flavors meld together and the okra is cooked to your liking. I like my okra with just a little bite to it. Keep in mind that the longer you cook the okra, the less green it will appear.
- Sprinkle on the cilantro and serve hot.
If making it with the basic tomato onion sauce:
- Prep the okra in the air fryer or oven or stove top. Heat two cups of the tomato onion sauce in the wok or skillet, then add the coriander powder, amchur and garam masala. Add a teaspoon of sugar. Add a cup of water, and when everything comes to a boil, add the okra and cook for 3-4 minutes until the flavors meld. Garnish with coriander and serve.
Nutrition Information
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Bhindi Masala FAQs
Frozen okra can be used but it won't be great in this recipe. Frozen okra is already too slimy and soggy and even air-frying it won't give it the same crisp-tender texture that you will get if you use fresh okra.
Yes! Stir-fry your okra in a wok or skillet with two tablespoons of oil. To roast in the oven, toss chopped okra with a teaspoon of oil, place in a single layer on a baking sheet, and roast in a preheated 450-degree Fahrenheit/ 230-degree Celsius oven for 15 minutes or until the okra is almost done. Toss the okra with a spatula halfway through roasting to ensure all sides cook evenly.
Use two tablespoons of lemon juice.
Scoop up bhindi masala with roti or vegan naan. Or serve it with jeera rice and spicy urad dal.
Refrigerate bhindi masala in an airtight container for up to four days. Freeze in a freezer-safe container up to four months. Thaw and reheat in microwave or on stove top until warmed through.
C smith says
It's okra season in Alabama! We're having this on a regular basis. So delicious! Today I had a few extra things from the garden so threw them in too. Yum!
Vaishali says
Awesome! So glad to hear. ❤️
Kohinoor says
Vaishali, many thanks for this recipe. I used the air-fryer for the cut okra and it turned out great.
Vaishali says
Yay, so happy you made it Kohinoor! ❤️ I love that I don't have to deep-fry the okra.
lisa murphy says
Thank you for such an easy and delicious recipe! I made as you described, cooking the okra in the air frier, and I used a can of tomatoes instead of fresh. A new favorite!
Kristen says
Beautiful recipe, Vaishali...thank you so much for sharing!
SIMMY says
Thank you for this easy and delicious recipe! I fried the okra the traditional way and it came out scrumptious!
Joan says
I love this dish from a local Indian restaurant and am looking forward to making your recipe this weekend. It looks and sounds amazing! I don't have an air fryer. In your opinion, are they really worth buying?
Vaishali says
Yes, I love my air fryer! I would absolutely recommend it. 🙂
Pavani says
Love the idea of air frying okra before adding to the tomato mixture. Will have to try out your technique next time I cook okra.
Vaishali says
Hope you try it, Pavani!