Okra Masala

I absolutely love bhindi (okra), but find it a pain to get just-right. This recipe was fool-proof and VERY delicious!! Please try it!!

Source: 365 Days of Pure Vegetarian

Ingredients:

1 lb bhindi, tops cut off and slit in 2, lengthwise

Masala: 2 tbsp dhania pwdr, 1 tbsp jeera pwdr,

2 tsp red chilli pwdr, 1 tsp turmeric pwdr

yogurt, 1/2 cup

jeera seeds, 1/2 tsp

oil, 2 tbsp

salt

In a bowl, whisk the yogurt with the masala powders to make a smooth paste. Use 1/4 cup water to dilute the yogurt, if needed. Add this spiced yogurt to the cut bhindi and set it aside for 15 mins. Next, take a shallow pan (use a non-stick) and heat the oil. When hot, add the jeera seeds and let them splutter. Now, add the entire bhindi yogurt mixture and lower the flame to avoid the mix from burning. Cook without a lid for about 30 mins, stirring every 5 minutes. Dish is ready when the okra is cooked, and the yogurt mix has dried up.

The mix was initially very sticky, and I was skeptical that this dish would turn out well. Towards the end of cooking, the stickiness disappeared and the dish was perfect. You need to have some patience with stirring and allowing the okra to cook slowly. Well worth it, considering prep time is negligible!!