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Kurkuri bhindi
Crispy fried okra strips
ਕੁਰਕੁਰੀ ਭਿੰਡੀ: thin okra strips in a spiced besan dusting, fried until they crunch like crisps
Kurkuri bhindi is the dhaba and wedding-buffet side that disappears first: thin, slivered okra tossed in a dry coat of besan, chilli and amchur and fried until it shatters. In Punjabi and Delhi homes it is served as a tea-time snack, scattered over dal-chawal or eaten by the handful while the rest of dinner cooks. The mistake almost everyone makes once is washing the okra and slicing it while still damp: the coating turns into gluey lumps and the strips go limp. Wash it an hour ahead and dry it completely. Chef's tip: toss the slivers with the spices first and add the flours only just before frying, so the okra cannot release liquid into the coating.
- Total time
- 27 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 3
Ingredients
- 10 ½ oz okra (bhindi)washed and dried completely
- 1 tsp red chilli powder
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- ¾ tsp salt
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 3 tbsp besan (gram flour)
- 2 tbsp rice flour
- 2 cups sunflower oilfor deep-frying
- ¼ tsp flaky salt (optional)to finish
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Top and tail 10 ½ oz okra (bhindi) and slit each pod lengthways into 4 thin strips. Remove any large seeds that fall loose.
8 minStep 2: In a wide bowl toss the strips with 1 tsp red chilli powder, ¼ tsp ground turmeric, ½ tsp amchur (dry mango powder), ¾ tsp salt and 1 tsp lemon juice so every piece is coated.
1 minStep 3: Pour 2 cups sunflower oil into a heavy kadai or deep pan so it is no more than a third full and heat over medium-high to 350°F on a thermometer. No thermometer? Drop in a 2 cm cube of bread: it should sizzle at once and turn golden in about 60 seconds. Stay at the stove the whole time the oil is hot and keep children and pets away.
5 minStep 4: Only now sprinkle over 3 tbsp besan (gram flour) and 2 tbsp rice flour and toss with your fingertips until the strips are dry and evenly dusted. Shake off any loose flour.
1 minStep 5: Fry a handful at a time, spreading them out in the oil. They will bubble hard at first; fry until the bubbling dies down and the strips are dark golden and crisp, 3–4 minutes.
10 minStep 6: Lift onto kitchen paper and spread out in one layer so they stay crunchy. Turn off the heat, sprinkle with ¼ tsp flaky salt and serve within the hour.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 210 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 14 g
- Fat
- 16 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does kurkuri bhindi take?
- About 27 minutes in total: 12 minutes to prepare and 15 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 vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- 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 red chilli powder?
- Cayenne, half the amount (hotter).
- What can I use instead of ground turmeric?
- Leave it out (it mostly adds colour).
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