Bhindi -ever lovable vegetable

 

Yumm if grown organically..  That is one of my bhindi plant in my garden. Learning a lot on planting, dealing with pests, rats... Its joyous to be able to grow even a single Bhindi.

We can turn up a lovely salad or tasty chutney to have with piping hot rice or masala bhindi or simply fry it up with some salt and chilli powder.

Here in Hosur I have a wonderful farmer uncle Karunakaran about 65+ years old retired from airforce who just loves to grow tomatoes , Bhindi, beetroot, chillies and so many other varieties. Some fail, some work out. Whenever I meet him he is always happy to have discovered something new and how to grow vegetables better.

Well, I just thought of sharing some quick mouth watering dishes made with bhindi.

1. Bhindi Salad

Ingredients:- 

• 1/2 kg bhindi, slit length wise in 4 and cut in 2 inch pieces
• one handful small onion peeled and finely chopped
• 2 amlas juice
• salt to taste
• pepper as required

I used a cast iron kadai for this. Added some coconut oil ,once hot add bhindi and amla juice. Open-saute the bhindi. Finally salt and pepper. Serve hot with roti.

2. Masala Bhindi

Ingredients:-

• 750gm Bhindi slit and cut into 2 
• for masala:-
• 2 tblsp chana dal
• 2 tblsp roasted groundnuts
• 3 cloves,small piece of cinnamon
• 10 cloves of garlic
• 1 handful peeled small onion 
• 1/4 cup grated dried coconut
• salt

Dry roast channa dal, groundnuts.  Powder channa dal, groundnuts, cloves, cinnamon, coconut, salt .

Add onions and coarse grind.

Procedure:-

Add Butter in an iron kadai and saute bhindi on high for 3 to 5 minutes. Add the masala, without mixing close the kadai and keep in simmer.

let it cook on simmer till masala is cooked, mix to incorporate the masala, do not mix too much.

one can add to glass bowl cover and bake at 150 degrees for 10 minutes.

serve with hot rice.

3. Bhindi chutney

Ingredients:-

• 1/2 kg bhindi cut in 1 inch sizes
• 2 green chillies
• 1 tblsp urad dal,
• 1 tsp coriander
• 1tsp jeera
• tamarind 1/4 lemon size
• 1 clove garlic
• oil
• salt to taste

Procedure:-

Add one spoon oil / ghee ... I normally tend to use cold pressed coconut oil or cow ghee.

Add urad dal, let it turn golden, add coriander, jeera, green chillies chopped.take out on a plate. Fry the bhindi and keep aside. powder the urad mixture with tamarind, chillies, garlic and salt. Add the bhindi and pulse.

serve with hot rice and ghee...

There are so many more recipes of Bhindi/Okra/ Bendakayya/Vendakkaya, so many names too..

as a gravy, as a pulusu ( in tamarind gravy ) and many many more...