Bhindi or okra is a favourite vegetable in my home. My kids love them. I often make a simple stir fry with spices that we relish with rotis and dal. This bharwa bhindi takes more time to make as each okra has to be individually filled. You can keep the okra whole or slit them into half. Slitting them into half help reduce the cooking time.
How to cook bhindi or okra so that they are not slimy?
This is a question all beginner cooks have grappled with. There are two methods which help keep your okra nice and slime free:
1. Keep it dry: Your okra should be absolutely dry when you start cooking with it, no matter which style of cooking you do. This helps in keeping your bhindi slime free.
2. Using something sour: Using tamarind, mango powder, tomatoes, lime juice or any other souring agent is a great way to further reduce the slime. Hence you will find that most recipes involving bhindi use them.
You can try this absolutely delightful kurkuri bhindi recipe too.
Here’s how to make bharwa bhindi or stuffed okra:
Ingredients:
15 okra or bhindi
For the spice mix:
2 tsp. gramflour or besan
2 tsp. rice flour
2 tsp. coriander powder
½ tbsp. dry mango powder
½ tsp. cayenne or red chilli powder
½ tsp. pepper powder (optional)
½ tsp. garam masala powder
½ tsp. turmeric powder
½ tsp. ajwain or carom seeds
½ tsp. salt or as per taste
For shallow frying
2-3 tbsp. oil
For Air frying
2 tsp. oil
Recipe:
1. Wash bhindi 2-3 times in water. Drain in a colander and then dry with a cloth towel till completely dry. You can also leave them to airdry for about 15 to 30 minutes.
2. Snip off the cap of the okra. Now make a slit right through the bhindi till the base ensuring that the slit does not cut the bhindi into half.
3. Do this for all the bhindi and keep aside.
4. Now take all the spices and mix them together.
5. Now gently open the slit of the bhindi and fill with the spice mix.
6. Do this for all the bhindis and keep aside.
For Air frying
7a. Pre heat Air fryer for 6 minutes at 180 C or 360 F. Lightly brush the Air fryer basket and the stuffed bhindi and line them in a single layer in the basket.
7b. If you have small bhindi or okra, 8 minutes air frying at 360 F or 180 C is adequate to give you perfectly cooked and crispy bharwan bhindi. If you are using longer bhindi then you may need upto 12 minutes. Do keep checking after every couple of minutes. Don't overcook or they will become too roasted.
Your Air fryer bharwan bhindi is ready to serve.
For shallow frying in pan
7b. Heat oil in a flat pan. Now keep the flame low and spread out the bhindis carefully so that they are in a single row.
8b. Cook for 3 minutes on one side and then gently turn them ensuring that you don’t overlap bhindi.
9b. Repeat this till the bhindi are tender and cooked through. Serve bharwan bhindi as a side to a meal or even as a snack.
Pro Tips:
1. Ensure that bhindi are completely dry before you use them.
2. You can vary the quantity of pepper powder or not use it if you don’t want your bhindi to be too hot.
3. If any spice mix is left over just sprinkle it on top of the bhindis cooking.
4. Once the bhindis are done, taste and if low on salt, sprinkle some on top. You could also sprinkle some chaat masala to add some tang.
5. I often cut my bhindis into half and then stuff them. This was the cooking time reduces. Otherwise, the bhindis take more time to cook.
6. While stuffing the bhindi do also check for worms.
7. You could also use 1 tsp. toasted sesame seeds powder or even peanut powder to add another layer of flavour to the spice mix. Some people use coconut powder as well.
8. The bhindis must look dark green with a tinge of brown to be perfectly air fried. Remember they will crisp up a bit more even after being removed. Taste and check one.
9. I liked to brush again with a little oil after air frying. That enhances the taste. You can skip this if you like. Overall usage is just 2 tsp. of oil.
10. Cook bhindi in batches. Also the bhindis shrink a little on air frying.
Serve delicious and tangy bhindi hot from the Air fryer. Enjoy.
📖 Recipe Card
Bharwan Bhindi Recipe in Air fryer | Stuffed Okra
Equipment
Ingredients
- 15 okra or bhindi
For the spice mix:
- 1 tbsp. coriander powder
- 2 tsp. gramflour or besan or chickpea flour
- 2 tsp. rice flour
- ½ tbsp. dry mango powder
- ½ tsp. cayenne or red chilli powder
- ½ tsp. pepper powder optional
- ½ tsp. turmeric powder
- ½ tsp. garam masala powder
- ½ tsp. salt or as per taste
For shallow frying
- 2 tsp. oil
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Instructions
- Wash bhindi 2-3 times in water. Drain in a colander and then dry with a cloth towel till completely dry. You can also leave them to airdry for about 15 to 30 minutes.
- Snip off the cap of the okra. Now make a slit right through the bhindi till the base ensuring that the slit does not cut the bhindi into half.
- Do this for all the bhindi and keep aside.
- Now take all the spices and mix them together.
- Now gently open the slit of the bhindi and fill with the spice mix.
- Do this for all the bhindis and keep aside.
For Air frying
- Preheat Air fryer at 360 F or 180 C for 6 minutes.
- Lightly brush Air fryer basket and stuffed bhindi with oil and arrange in one layer in the basket. Air fry for 8 minutes for smaller bhindi at 360 F or 180 C.
- For larger bhindi, you may take from 10 to 12 minutes air frying time at 360 F or 180 C. Do keep checking.
For shallow frying on pan
- Heat oil in a flat pan. Now keep the flame low and spread out the bhindis carefully so that they are in a single row.
- Cook for 3-4 minutes on one side and then gently turn them ensuring that you don’t overlap bhindi.
- Repeat this till the bhindi are tender and cooked through. Serve bharwan bhindi as a side to a meal or even as a snack.
Video
Notes
2. You can vary the quantity of pepper powder or not use it if you don’t want your bhindi to be too hot.
3. If any spice mix is left over just sprinkle it on top of the bhindis cooking.
4. Once the bhindis are done, taste and if low on salt, sprinkle some on top. You could also sprinkle some chaat masala to add some tang.
5. I often cut my bhindis into half and then stuff them. This was the cooking time reduces. Otherwise, the bhindis take longer to cook.
6. While stuffing the bhindi do also check for worms.
7. You could also use 1 tsp. toasted sesame seeds powder or even peanut powder to add another layer of flavour to the spice mix. Some people use coconut powder as well.
8. You could double the recipe ingredients for a larger batch. 9. The bhindis must look dark green with a tinge of brown to be perfectly air fried. Remember they will crisp up a bit more even after being removed. Taste and check one. 10. I liked to brush again with a little oil after air frying. That enhances the taste. You can skip this if you like. Overall usage is just 2 tsp. of oil. 11. Cook bhindi in batches. Also the bhindis shrink a little on air frying.
Nutrition
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Damyanti says
This is one of my favourites!