Bhuna Bhindi Masala Recipe by Sameer S Nilatkar
It’s Tuna Friday, but after sampling a tremendous amount of food for Thanksgiving, I find myself craving some nice, crisp Ladyfingers roasted in aromatic spices and drizzled with fat (the way my Granny used to prepare them). After all, Ladyfinger, or Bhindi, is best enjoyed in the winter season, especially with an abundant supply of fresh, crunchy Bhindi stacked invitingly at the vegetable vendor’s stall—almost like seats in a Roman arena. The sight is so enticing that I can’t help but pick up a sizeable batch and start thinking about my next recipe.
Bhuna Bhindi Masala is a highly aromatic dish that prominently features onions and fragrant spices. When combined with those nice, crisp Bhindis soaked in sesame oil, it creates a highly satisfying meal. Don’t forget to pair the subzi with some crisp Tawa Parathas for a thoroughly satisfying dining experience.
Ingredients:
Ladyfinger / Bhindi – 300 gms
Onions – 200 gms
Tomato – 1
Ginger Garlic Paste – 2 tbsp
Chopped Garlic – 1 tbsp
Green Chillies – 10 gms
Coriander leaves – a few sprigs
Water / Vegetable stock – 150 ml/ 1 cup
Sesame Oil – 100 ml
Chilli powder – 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder – 1 teaspoon
Garam Masala – 1 teaspoon (I usually prefer to use a pinch of Goda Masala in place of Garam Masala as this makes it more aromatic )
Salt- to taste
Lemon juice – 1 teaspoon
For the masala:
Black Cardamom – 2 pcs
Cinnamon- 1 small stick
Coriander seeds – 1 teaspoon
Black Pepper – 1 tbsp
Cloves – 3 pcs
Method:
1 ) Roast the ingredients for the masala on a pan and set aside. Let it cool.
2 ) Wash and cut the Bhindi and set aside.
3 ) Grind the onions, tomato, green chillies and coriander leaves and set aside.
4 ) Grind the roasted masala to powder.
5 ) In a thick-bottomed pan, heat oil. Fry the ground vegetables and chopped garlic on a medium flame till oil oozes out and gets a nice dark brown colour. Add turmeric & chilli powder and the roasted ground masala and saute further for five minutes on a slow flame.
6 ) Add the Bhindi and fry on high flame for a minute or two.
7 ) Add water or Vegetable stock, salt and garam masala. Cover and let it cook on a slow flame for ten minutes. Once done, check for a thick gravy consistency and remove from the flame. Pour lime juice and garnish with fresh coriander.
