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Dahi bhindi
Okra in yogurt gravy
Dahi bhindi: pan-fried okra in a tangy spiced yogurt gravy
Dahi bhindi is how North Indian and Rajasthani cooks turn a plate of okra into a saucy curry for summer evenings, when the heat calls for something sour and cooling. The okra is fried first until it loses its stickiness, then folded into a thin yogurt gravy flavoured with fennel, cumin and a little chilli, good with rotis or plain rice. The usual mistake is pouring in the yogurt over a high flame, which curdles it; whisk it with the spices first, turn the heat right down, and stir until it simmers. Chef's tip: a pinch of crushed fennel seeds in the tempering brings out the sweetness of the okra.
- Total time
- 28 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 3
Ingredients
- 12 ½ oz okrawashed, dried completely, cut into 2.5 cm pieces
- 3 tbsp sunflower oil
- 9 oz plain yogurtfull-fat, at room temperature
- 1 tsp gram flour (besan)
- ½ cup water
Tempering and spices
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- ½ tsp fennel seedslightly crushed
- 1 onionsmall, finely chopped
- 1 tsp gingergrated
- 1 green chillislit
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- ¾ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp fresh coriander (optional)chopped
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Heat 2 tablespoons of 2 tbsp sunflower oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat. Fry 12 ½ oz okra for 7–8 minutes, turning, until browned in spots and no longer sticky. Lift out.
8 minStep 2: Whisk 9 oz plain yogurt, 1 tsp gram flour (besan), ¼ tsp ground turmeric, 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder, 1 tsp ground coriander and ½ cup water until smooth.
Step 3: Add the rest of 1 tbsp sunflower oil to the pan over a medium heat. Add 1 tsp cumin seeds and ½ tsp fennel seeds and let them sizzle for 20 seconds, then add 1 onion, 1 tsp ginger and 1 green chilli and fry for 3–4 minutes until the onion is soft and golden.
4 minStep 4: Turn the heat to low. Pour in the yogurt mixture and stir constantly for 3 minutes until it comes to a gentle bubble and thickens slightly.
3 minStep 5: Add the okra and ¾ tsp salt and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring gently, until the gravy coats the okra. Scatter with 1 tbsp fresh coriander and serve with rotis or rice.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 190 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 13 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does dahi bhindi take?
- About 28 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 18 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 3 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of plain yogurt?
- Sour cream or buttermilk, same amount.
- What can I use instead of cumin seeds?
- Ground cumin, three quarters of the amount (add it with the other ground spices, not to hot oil first).
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