Okra Masala
My Okra Masala will definitely bring some life to your next meal.
Okra Masala
Okra Masala, also known as bhindi masala, is a popular Indian side dish. It also happens to be one of my personal favorites! Easy to make, really tasty, and a much more interesting way to get a vegetable on the table, Okra Masala is a basic vegetable fry with tomatoes and spices. It’s one of my favorite vegetarian recipes to order at restaurants. I always find it to be bursting with flavor and pairs well with any curry or even just plain rice! Personally, I love pairing this recipe with my Chicken Ambut. Try it out now!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy Prep – This recipe requires some patience but really just frying the okra itself. Otherwise, the whole recipe comes together quite easily! I love that you can use frozen and canned goods here too, making the Okra Masala aka Bhindi Masala, easy to buy in advance and whip up whenever you like!
- Flavor profile – As I said before, I have always loved this recipe and love the bold, Indian flavors it provides. Just a few basic Indian spices are needed and most can be easily found in big box grocery stores.
Doesn’t this Okra Masala/Bhindi Masala look appetizing?
The Process – Okra Masala
We’ll start by frying our okra. I go right from frozen into the pan, but you’re welcome to buy fresh okra and slice it into 1/2-inch pieces for frying. Now, this section usually tests my patience a little bit. Okra has this…slimy quality that needs to fry off before you can continue on. If you don’t – your okra will remain slimy forever. I know that’s dramatic but it’s a texture that I really just don’t like! Anyway – really easily solved, you just need the okra to melt and fry until it’s dry -which takes about 15 minutes. I also know that fresh okra takes a little less time to un-sticky itself. I usually set a timer for 15 minutes and promise myself I won’t get frustrated until AFTER the timer goes off. Works like a charm.
This is the texture I’m talking about. Just fry it!
Once your okra is good to go, it’s totally smooth sailing! We’ll add a can of diced tomatoes. Let the water evaporate out while folding in the tomatoes so they’re evenly incorporated.
Here comes the easy part. Add in the diced tomatoes.
Finally, season with a little salt, garam masala, garlic powder, and chili powder. Then fry for a final 2 minutes or so. Serve hot as a side dish or with rice!
Feast your eyes upon your final product!
This can also go well with my Tandoori Chicken Burgers. Just in time for grilling season!
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pictures of your creations on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok! Hashtag them #thehappyhaandi. And tag me @thehappyhaandi.
Okra Masala
Equipment
- 1 Frying Pan
Ingredients
- 16 oz Okra (Frozen works!)
- 14.5 oz Canned Diced Tomatoes
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 2 tsp Garam Masala
- Chili Powder (to taste)
- Salt (to taste)
Instructions
For the Okra Masala:
- Fry the okra on medium-high heat. Wait until the okra is no longer sticky-slimy - about 15 minutes.
- Add in the canned diced tomatoes and fry further, about 3-5 minutes, allowing the water to evaporate. We're looking for tomatoes to cook here and lose their raw smell.
- Add salt, chili powder, garlic powder, and garam masala to the mixture and fry for a final 2 minutes or so, to give the dish its fragrance.
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