Bendha nu Saark: Stir Fried Okra / Lady Fingers (ભીંડા નુ શાક)

STIR FRIED OKRA . LADY FINGERS

STIR FRIED OKRA . LADY FINGERS

The Gujarati Kitchen

Servings

3

Prep Time

15 minutes

Cook Time

35 minutes

A unique tasting vegetable if you’ve never tried it. When stir fried quickly with Indian spices, the okra go crispy and tastes divine. My Dad’s favourite!

Ingredients

  • 500 gms okra
  • 4 tablespoons oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh green chilli, minced
  • 1 teaspoon fresh garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder

Directions

  1. Wash and dry okra, cut off ends and slice into 1cm wide pieces.

  2. In a large frypan, heat oil on a medium to high heat. Fry fenugreek seeds for 30 seconds or until browns. Add onions, cook for 3-4 minutes or until clear. Add chilli, garlic, ginger, salt coriander, cumin and turmeric. Stir paste to infuse masala.

  3. Add okra and stir to combine with masala. Cover and cook for 30 minutes or until cooked through, stirring occasionally. Serve hot with your choice of bread, rice and/or a selection of condiments.

Bendha nu saark: stir fried okra

Okra, also called lady fingers, is a unique tasting vegetable if you've never tried it. When stir fried quickly with Indian spices, the okra goes crispy and tastes divine. It's my Dad's favourite!

Fenugreek seeds, onion, fresh chilli, garlic and ginger make the masala, and the okra cooks gently in it until tender.

Tips for the best okra

  • Wash and dry well. Make sure the okra is completely dry before you slice it. Wet okra turns sticky.
  • Slice evenly. Cut into 1cm pieces so everything cooks at the same speed.
  • Stir occasionally. Give it a gentle stir now and then while it cooks so it doesn't catch.

What to serve with it

Serve hot with your choice of rotli, rice and condiments, or as part of a dal bhat meal.

Made this recipe? Tag us on Instagram @the.gujarati.kitchen. We'd love to see your okra!

Love this recipe? You'll find more of our family favourites in our award-winning cookbook, A Little Bit of This, A Little Bit of That.
Over 100 Gujarati dishes Mum has cooked for our family for decades, finally written down with exact measurements.
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Hands holding the Gujarati cookbook A Little Bit of This, A Little Bit of That on a table with chai

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