Crispy Bhindi (Okra) Fry: 15 Minute, Easy Recipe
Crispy Bhindi Fry is a spicy, tangy, and tantalizing treat for your taste buds. This easy 15-minute recipe uses bhindi, a vegetable also called okra or ladyfinger in English.
Bhindi is one of those vegetables with zero haters! Everyone loves a good, spicy fried bhindi recipe. My easy-to-follow and super-quick recipe is great for beginners or pros.
You will love to serve this authentic Indian bhindi recipe as a main or side dish. Whether you’re looking for okra recipes or a unique vegetable side dish, this Crispy Bhindi Fry is the perfect choice.
About Bhindi Fry
Bhindi is okra or ladyfinger, a simple and humble vegetable. In India, Pakistan, and most other South-Asian countries, this vegetable is a summer staple.
It is prepared in different ways. Some people add a lot of onions and tomatoes to give it a great saucy gravy, while others might prefer a dry bhindi masala.
In some homes, it is cooked with meat, while others serve it without meat. No matter how it’s prepared, bhindi is a winner when it comes to most-liked vegetables.
My quick and easy spicy fried bhindi recipe will give you another great way to make this beloved veggie. Follow my step-by-step, simple instructions, and you will have this bhindi fry ready in no time! Whether you call it kurkuri bhindi, okra fries, or a delicious sabzi recipe, this dish is sure to impress.
Reasons to Love Bhindi Fry
- This is such a fun recipe! You can serve it with roti and a chutney of your choice to make it a meal, as a side dish to a meaty entree, or even as an evening snack! Just one veggie, but so many options!
- Everyone will love this recipe! If your kids don’t eat their greens, don’t worry! This step-by-step bhindi fry recipe will leave them licking their fingers.
- A spice list that’s so short, you can count the ingredients on your fingers! Now, that’s a reason to celebrate. No one wants to gather a long list of spices and herbs to cook a meal. My recipe keeps it short and simple: you probably already have everything in your pantry, ready to go!
- This recipe is super quick! Bhindi is a summer vegetable, but nobody wants to spend long hours in the kitchen heat. With this recipe, you’ll be done in 15 minutes! Whether you’re making air fryer okra, okra curry, or vegan okra fry, this bhindi fry is the ultimate okra recipe.
Ingredients
Here’s a list of the ingredients you need to make Bhindi fry:
- Bhindi/Okra/Ladyfinger: Asian bhindi is long and slender. The seeds are smaller in size, and the bhindi cooks very quickly. While buying bhindi, ensure that it is fresh, green, firm to the touch, and thin.
- Onions: The only other ingredient in this recipe is onion. Slice the onion thinly so it cooks quickly with the bhindi.
- Spices: For spices, you will require only red chili powder and salt to taste.
For quantities, see the recipe card below.
Instructions
Now, let’s make this delicious Bhindi fry!
In a large pan, add the oil and sliced onions. Fry the onions till their color changes slightly, to a light golden.
- Heat some oil in a large frying pan and add the sliced onions.
- Fry the onions till they change color slightly.
Next, add the sliced bhindi to the onions. Also add the red chili powder and salt.
- Once the onions have changed color, add the sliced bhindi or ladyfinger.
- Next, add red chili powder and salt.
Because no water is added to the bhindi, you must eep stirring, otherwise it may stick to the pan and burn.
- On a medium-high flame, cook the bhindi.
- Keep stirring the bhindi.
Keep the flame on medium-high. As you cook the bhindi, you will see that it becomes a little slimy, but don’t worry, this will disappear when the bhindi is fully cooked.
Never cook bhindi on low flame as this will make it release moisture and it will become sticky and slimy.
- Keep cooking the bhindi till it changes color and becomes crispy.
- When you can see oil on the sides of the pan, the bhindi is come.
The bhindi will take about 12-15 minutes to cook fully. So keep stirring and keep a close eye on the bhindi.
Once the bhindi is crispy, both the onions and bhindi have changed color, and you can see oil on the sides of the pan, your crispy and quick bhindi fry is done!
Enjoy it with roti, paratha, or even boiled rice!
Hint:
- When washing the bhindi, rinse it under cold water, spread it on a kitchen towel or dish cloth, and let it dry thoroughly before cutting.
- When adding bhindi to the pan, ensure the oil is hot. Adding bhindi to cold oil will cause it to absorb excessive oil.
Variations
There are a lot of variations you can make in this recipe:
- Add tamarind paste to make it tangy and sour.
- Likewise, you could add lemon juice, too.
- Some recipes also call for adding crispy fried peanuts, which gives it another crunchy dimension.
If you are looking for a more home-style bhindi recipe with a tamatoe based curry, than try my Bhindi Gosht recipe!
Equipment
This simple recipe doesn’t require many kitchen utensils!
- 1 Large frying pan
- Chopping board and knife
- Measuring spoons
Storage
Unfortunately, this recipe does not keep well. The crispy bhindi will lose all its crunch if you don’t eat it freshly made.
Therefore it needs to be eaten immediately.
Top tips
- While buying bhindi, ensure you get fresh, green, and thin bhindi.
- After washing the bhindi, let it dry thoroughly before cutting it.
- Always cook the bhindi on a medium-high flame, as it will become sticky and slimy on a low flame.
- Add bhindi to hot oil; otherwise, excess oil will be absorbed.
- This bhindi recipe is best eaten fresh, so you can taste the crunch!
FAQ
Let the bhindi soak in clean water for 10 minutes, than remove it and let it sit in a strainfer for another 10 minutes. Now, spread the bhindi on a kitchen towel and let it air-dry, or you could wipe it with a kitchen cloth, till its completely dry.
Always add bhindi to hot oil. And never cook it on a low flame. Also letting bhindi dry completely before cooking it will prevent the stickiness.
Yes! Bhindi is a very healthy vegetable with good amounts of vitamin K, and iron. 100 grams of bhindi contains only 33 calories, so definitely, Bhindi fry is a healthy recipe!
The key to making a perfect okra recipe without the slime is to cook it on high heat and avoid over-stirring. You can try this with dishes like stir fry okra, kurkuri bhindi, or crispy okra. Another trick is to dry the okra thoroughly before cooking it, which is essential for recipes like okra fries or fried okra.
For beginners, simple dishes like bhindi fry, okra fries, or air fryer okra are great to start with. These okra recipes are easy to follow, require few ingredients, and are quick to prepare. For a traditional touch, try making bhindi masala or stir fry recipe with minimal spices.
To make a crispy bhindi fry or crispy okra, ensure the bhindi (okra) is dry before frying. You can coat it lightly with gram flour for extra crispiness, making it a perfect vegetable side dish or snack. Using an air fryer okra method can also give you a healthier crispy texture.
Popular Indian okra recipes include bhindi masala, bhindi fry, bharwa bhindi (stuffed okra), and okra curry. These dishes are enjoyed across South Asia and can be served with roti or rice as a main dish or vegetable side.
Yes, many okra recipes are naturally vegan and gluten-free! Dishes like vegan okra fry or gluten-free okra fry are easy to make and full of flavor. Most sabzi recipes featuring okra are made with simple spices, making them suitable for those with dietary restrictions.
Bharwa Bhindi (stuffed okra) is a popular Indian okra recipe. It involves stuffing okra with a mixture of spices and sometimes grated coconut or roasted chickpea flour. Once stuffed, the bhindi is either shallow-fried or stir-fried, creating a delicious and flavorful dish that pairs well with Indian breads like roti.
For a classic Southern okra recipe, coat the okra slices in cornmeal batter and deep-fry them to create crispy fried okra. This dish is a staple in Southern cuisine and can also be made into okra fritters. For a healthier version, try using an air fryer okra method.
Okra fry typically refers to a dry preparation where the okra is fried with spices and served as a side dish, like bhindi fry or kurkuri bhindi. Okra curry, on the other hand, involves cooking okra in a spiced gravy, often with onions, tomatoes, and sometimes coconut, resulting in a saucier dish.
To make delicious okra fries, slice the okra thinly, coat it with spices and cornmeal (or gram flour), and fry it until crispy. You can also try making okra fries using an air fryer okra recipe for a healthier version.
Yes, frozen okra can be used in most okra recipes such as okra curry, bhindi masala, and even fried okra. Just make sure to thaw and pat it dry before cooking to prevent excess moisture and slime.
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I enjoy eating okra, but this is a very unique way to cook okra. I will be making it soon. looks flavorful
Thank you! I hope you enjoy it! 😊