Try Kurkuri Masala Bhindi/Crispy Orka Fry for dinner today! Okra is marinated with different spices & fried. Serve this as a side or as a crunchy salad.
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Some dishes give you immense happiness when you finally make them. Kurkuri Masala Bhindi is one such dish. This dish can make your party a super hit when served! Typically people don't expect a bhindi/okra recipe at a get-together. Guests are eyeing for paneer or Biryani and not expecting to find a dish make with bhindi! But let me assure you, this dish is a game-changer. Not only will this platter surprise your guests but they will keep coming back for seconds and it will all be gone within minutes! I had been toying with the idea to make Kurkuri Bhindi for some time now. I had eaten it at a local Indian restaurant and had become an instant fan!
Like most people, I never order an okra dish at a restaurant because I consider that an everyday vegetable and would rather have something exotic when dining out. But this time, KR suggested that we order this entrée along with garlic naan for a change. I was still skeptical about ordering this because I didn't want to ruin my Sunday brunch but thank god nothing of that sort happened! I am so glad that I let KR make that call and he gloats about it even today. He tells me, "Sometimes its good to trust your husband's choice!" I have to agree with him on this one for sure!
Me explaining to you how good this crispy dish is will not do any justice to its real taste. I have never had bhindi cooked this way. The flavorful masala with which its marinated gives the okra a very different taste. This dish changed the way I looked at this vegetable completely! I have actually prepared this for my guests on many occasions and every time I notice a surprised look on their faces when I tell them I have made Kurkuri Bhindi for them but then I see that they always leave our home content and full! And yes, everyone wants a recipe for this dish which I do share. That is why I thought it would make more sense if I put up this recipe here for all to see. That way all of you will have this recipe handy and can make it anytime you want. Since I have made this curry many times, I have given it my own touch and played around with different spices each time to see how the taste varies. After many such attempts, I can now say that I am finally convinced that this is how I would like my Kurkuri Bhindi. That is why I am sharing this recipe with you now since its tried, tested, and fool-proof. Kurkuri means crispy/crunchy and that is exactly how this fried bhindi tastes. Since this is a party dish, I am sure you would not mind all the frying!
Many times people have asked me what is the best way to remove the stickiness from okra while cooking. I have a handy tip for you - Always wash and pat dry the okra first. Add an acid while you're cooking okra. We add chopped tomato, a splash of lemon juice
, amchur powder
, vinegar
, or even wine, to add flavor and cut down on slime. If you freeze okra and cut it while it is still frozen, it will less slimy than when you cut it fresh. Also always cook okra uncovered. Try these simple steps and you will have slime-free okra! Okra has a mild taste similar to eggplant. It’s also low in calories and a good source of vitamin C, folate, magnesium, potassium, and fiber. Okra is definitely under-appreciated but this dish is definitely worth giving a try. This vegan Crispy Fry Okra can be served for brunch on a weekend or packed in lunchboxes with roti. It's such a dish that will be loved by all. Let's see how to make Kurkuri Masala Bhindi/Crispy Okra Fry Recipe by following these simple steps. Please use fresh and not frozen okra for this recipe. Clean and wash bhindi. Pat them dry with a kitchen towel
. Trim the bhindi head and tail off. Cut them in long thin strips. Transfer the cut bhindi to a mixing bowl
. Now it's time to add all the dry spices.
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Add chilly powder
, turmeric powder, amchur powder
, garlic powder
, onion powder
, chickpea flour/besan
, sesame seeds
, anardana powder, or pomegranate powder and salt. If you feel the masala is less, then add more besan to it. Toss it all together so that bhindi gets coated with the masala. Marinate this for 30 minutes. Heat oil for frying. Fry these marinated masala bhindi till they turn golden and crispy. You can even shallow fry them if you plan to have in as a weeknight meal and want to tone down the oil consumption. But if you are making it for guests or for a party, I suggest you deep-fry them. They taste awesome when they are fried. Fry them in small batches and be careful to not crowd them in the frying pan. Fry them on a medium flame and only take them out when you feel they have become crunchy. This could take a couple of minutes and taking them out before would not yield the desired results. Soak the excess oil using a kitchen towel and serve Kurkuri Masala Bhindi immediately. It tastes best when served as soon as it's fried. They pair well with Dal and Rice or with chapati/naan. We had it with chapati for lunch and with Dal and Rice for dinner! Either way, it tasted great! And yes, you can even enjoy them as is as a crispy and crunchy snack.
Here are some other recipes that use okra as the hero ingredient that you can try at home - Okra/Bhindi Masala and Achari Dahi Bhindi | Pickled Okra in Yogurt Gravy.
Top recipe tips 💭
If the okrais very slimy, rub some acid like lemon juice on the knife and then cut. Chopping bhindi can be tricky. Be careful when using the knife. Removing the seeds while chopping is essential else the Kurkuri Bhindi will taste bitter. Instead of rice flour, you can also use corn starch.
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Recipe 📖
Kurkuri Masala Bhindi/Crispy Orka Fry
Equipment
Ingredients
- 25 bhindi
- 4 tablespoon besan
- 2 tablespoon rice flour
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon amchur powder
- 2 teaspoon chilly powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon chaat masala
- 1 teaspoon anardana powder optional
- salt
- 2-3 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
To Prep The Bhindi
- Please use fresh and not frozen okra for this recipe. Clean and wash bhindi. Pat them dry with a kitchen towel.
- Trim the bhindi head and tail off.
- Rub some lemon juice on the knife and cut the okra in thin long strips. Remove as many seeds as possible.
- Transfer the cut bhindi to a mixing bowl.
To Marinate The Bhindi With Masala
- Add besan and rice flour to the bowl.
- Then add chilly powder, turmeric powder, amchur powder, and cumin powder to the bowl.
- Followed by onion powder, garlic powder, chaat masala, coriander powder and anardana powder (if adding).
- Add salt, and olive oil. Toss it all together so that bhindi gets coated with the masala. If you feel the masala is less, then add more besan to it. Marinate this for 10-15 minutes. Salt will help to draw some moisture from the bhindi.
- Transfer the bhindi to the Air-Fryer tray. Space them out and do not overcrowd them. Depending upon the size of the tray, you will have to do it in batches. Spray cooking oil on top. Air Fry at 350 degrees F for 10-12 minutes.
- Midway, toss them using tongs to ensure they get evenly fried. Transfer to a plate when done. They will turn crisp as they cool.
- Alternatively, you can also deep-fry the bhindi. Just before frying dust off the excess flour. Skipping this step would make the oil messy and challenging to cook. Deep fry the bhindi in batches. Do not overcrowd the pan and fry them on medium flame. This could take a couple of minutes and taking them out early will not give you crispy bhindi. Fry till they turn crisp and golden.
- Soak the excess oil using a kitchen towel and serve Kurkuri Masala Bhindi immediately. Sprinkle chaat masala on top.
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Caroline says
Those look delicious! Love all the flavors - it's been a while since I've had Indian-spiced okra but I have liked what I tried before so must give these a try.
Sara Welch says
This was such a fun recipe to try out with the help of my daughters! Perfectly crisp and delicious too!
bbbdew says
All of these spices sound fabulous !!! What a fabulous way to prepare okra . This is on my make soon list.
Stephanie says
I love all the seasonings used in this recipe.This looks like a great way to prepare okra and thanks for including the step by step directions.