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Indian · Punjabi

Bhindi masala

Vegetarian

भिंडी मसाला · bhindi masala

Okra fried until tender and non-slimy, then tossed with onions, tomato and dry spices. A quick, everyday North Indian dry vegetable dish.

Bhindi masala is an Indian side dish, ready in about 35 minutes and made with okra and onion. It serves 3 and is rated easy to cook.

Start cooking
Bhindi masala: okra pieces stir-fried with tomato and onion, topped with coriander
Photo: Monali.mishra / Wikimedia Commons · CC-BY-SA-4.0
Prep
15 min
Cook
20 min
Total
35 min
Serves
3
Level
Easy
Calories
217

Ingredients

3 servings

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Heat 2 tbsp oil in a wide pan and fry the okra (opens in a new tab) in a single layer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until tender and lightly browned. Remove.

    Dry okra completely before cutting and don't cover the pan — moisture makes it slimy.

  2. Step 2

    Add the remaining oil, crackle the cumin (opens in a new tab) and fry the onions (opens in a new tab) until golden at the edges. Add ginger, garlic (opens in a new tab) and tomato (opens in a new tab) and cook until soft.

    • 7 min
    • medium heat

  3. Step 3

    Add the turmeric (opens in a new tab), chilli, coriander and salt, return the okra (opens in a new tab) and toss for 2 minutes. Finish with lemon juice (opens in a new tab) and garam masala (opens in a new tab).

    • 3 min
    • medium heat

About this dish

Origin
North India, India · Commonly attributedAlso popular in PakistanMore food from India
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Side dishes
Cooking method
Stir-fried, Pan-fried
Taste
savoury, spicy (chilli heat), tangy, earthy
Diet
Vegan · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · Low-carb · High-fibre
All labelsVegan · Plant-based · Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Ovo-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Low-carb · High-fibre · DASH-style · Carb-conscious
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Everyday · One-pan · Budget-friendly
Cook more with
Okra · Onion · Cumin · Fresh ginger · Garlic · Tomato
Techniques
Pan-frying · Stir-frying

Allergens

None of the 14 major allergens appear in the listed ingredients.

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

217 kcal per serving

Estimated

1 serving ≈ 274 g · recipe makes 3

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 7%
  • Carbohydrate 37%
  • Fat 56%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy217 kcal79 kcal
Protein4.3 g1.6 g
Carbohydrate21.5 g7.9 g
Net carbohydrate14.5 g5.3 g
Sugars6.4 g2.3 g
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre7 g2.5 g
Fat14.5 g5.3 g
Saturated fat1.1 g0.4 g
Trans fat0.1 g0 g
Cholesterol0 mg0 mg
Sodium600 mg219 mg
Salt equivalent1.5 g0.5 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
672 mg
Calcium
152 mg
Iron
2 mg
Magnesium
98 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
75 µg
Vitamin C
44 mg
Vitamin D
0 µg
Vitamin B12
0 µg
Folate (DFE)
102 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Garam masala: Curry powder (FDC 170924) used as a stand-in; both are ground blends of similar dried spices used in teaspoon amounts.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Common mistakes

  • Adding salt too early draws out moisture and makes okra sticky — add it at the end.

Serve with

  • Serve with roti and dal.

Storage

  • Keeps 2 days refrigerated.

Reheating

  • Reheat in a dry pan.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

  • Okra, washed, dried thoroughly and cut into 2 cm pieces400 g
  • Onion, sliced2 piece · 220 g
  • Tomato, chopped1 piece · 120 g
Used in steps 1, 2, 3

Masalas in this recipe

Make the masala first, then come back to finish the dish.

Reviews & corrections

Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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