Bharwa(Stuffed) Bhindi – Okras stuffed with coconut, mango powder and spices

So Bhindi is every amateur chef’s worst nightmare. Perhaps the thought of this dish also makes you recoil for the many times it has been served to you slimy. Bhindi, lady finger or okra as it is called requires the chef’s patience but the end results are fantastic.

Here are a few tips for this dish

1. Separate the bhindi according to its size so that when you cook them in the pan you cook them according to the same size and they cook evenly.

2. Wash the bhindi the night before and then wipe them. Let them sit out on the kitchen counter overnight. If you don’t have the luxury to do this then simply wipe the dry before use but make sure they are dry.

3. Make sure you have a large flat bottom nonstick pan for this dish.

4. While frying, ensure that the bhindi sit on the pan and not one over the other. Don’t over stuff your pan.

5. I have used onion powder and garlic powder. If you don’t have this in dry form (which is easy to make at home) then mince the two together and I mean mince it. Fresh onions also lend a nice sweetness to the dish

6. I have used coconut powder but this dish tastes equally good with desiccated coconut

7. You need aamchur for this dish if not use dried pomegranate seeds as a souring agent but you can’t skip the souring agent. Souring agents also help prevent the bhindi from going slimy.

8. If you are using only dry ingredients for the stuffing then you can make it and store it for as long as you like.

9. Finally make sure your pan and the oil in it are super-hot when adding the bhindi and then follow the instructions given in the method

Ingredients

Bhindi – Ten evenly sized large ones

Oil – For frying

Lime – juice of half

Curry leaves – one large handful

The Masala is for approximately 400 grams of Bhindi

Coconut powder or desiccated coconut – 4 tablespoons

Coriander powder – 2 tablespoons

Cumin powder – 2 tablespoons

Dry Mango powder – 1 teaspoon

Red chilli powder – 1 teaspoon

Garam Masala powder – 1 teaspoon

Garlic Powder – I teaspoon

Onion Powder – 1 teaspoon

Ajwain – ¼ teaspoon

Turmeric – ¼ teaspoon

Salt ½ teaspoon

Method

Follow the tips given above with regard to the preparation of the bhindi and take off the head. Combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl. Slit the bhindi in the middle of one side but make sure the slit does not go right to the top and to the bottom. Pry it open with your hands (don’t be afraid) and spoon in as much mixture as you can.

Heat the pan and some oil and when really hot add the bhindis in. The bhindi should sit flat in the pan and not one top of each other. Drop the heat to medium and cover with a lid that has some outlet for the heat to escape. In a minute open the lid and turn the bhindi. Keep tossing the bhindi every minute for the next four minutes. After the second turn add the curry leaves which have been divided into equal portions for each time you plan to fry a batch of bhindi. The aroma of the curry leaves dries you mad.

Serve hot and I mean it or else your hard work is in vain. Squeeze some lime and garnish with the fried curry leaves.

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