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Sudesh's Bhindi

Name: Sudesh's Bhindi
Prep time: 28 min
Cook time: 28 min
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: Bhindi (okra), washed, dried and sliced into rounds; 2½ tablespoons oil, divided; Cumin seeds; 1 onion, chopped; Fresh ginger, chopped, plus ginger juliennes to garnish (optional); 1 green chilli, chopped; Tomatoes, chopped; Coriander powder; Turmeric; Amchur (dried mango powder); Red chilli powder; Salt; Garam masala

Maidenhead, England

28 min prep · 28 min cook · Main

The story

“A simple bhindi masala built from the everyday flavours of onion, tomatoes, ginger and warming Indian spices. The okra is cooked first, gently and patiently, until its sliminess almost disappears, then folded through the masala. Sudesh loves it with warm roti and dal, though it is just as good with paratha or rice.”

This recipe now belongs to every family who cooks it.

The method

1Wash each bhindi and pat it thoroughly dry with kitchen paper. Remove the head and a little from the tail, then chop into rounds.
2Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a pan over a medium heat. Add the bhindi and cook for 10 minutes, stirring often. Lower the heat and cook for another 5 minutes, until it is mostly cooked and very little sliminess remains. Transfer it to a bowl.
3In another pan — or the same pan once emptied — heat the remaining 1½ tablespoons of oil over a medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle for a few seconds.
4Add the chopped onion and sauté for 2–3 minutes until soft. Add the ginger and green chilli, then cook for one more minute.
5Add the chopped tomatoes and cook for around 4 minutes, until soft and mushy.
6Stir in the coriander powder, turmeric, amchur, red chilli powder and salt. Add a tablespoon of water so the spices do not burn, then stir well.
7Add the cooked bhindi, mix well and cook uncovered over a medium-low heat for 5 minutes.
8Finish with garam masala and, if you like, ginger juliennes. Serve with warm roti and dal, paratha or rice.

A visual guide

See the key stages

Key moments to look for as you cook. Use these visual cues alongside the written method.

Whole dry okra and sliced okra rounds resting on a clean linen cloth — Step 1
Dry before slicing
Wash the okra whole, then dry it completely before cutting. This is the most important preparation step for limiting stickiness.

Sliced okra rounds gently frying uncovered in a dark pan — Step 2
Cook the okra on its own
Give the sliced okra room to cook uncovered in a little oil. Moderate heat lets the stickiness disappear without burning it.

Green okra being folded through a cooked onion and tomato masala — Step 7
Fold through the masala
Add the pre-cooked okra only after the onions, tomatoes and spices have softened into a rich masala.

Cook's notes & swaps

A little help from the OPR kitchen

These are optional pointers for making the recipe your own while keeping the spirit of the original.

How to make bhindi less slimy

Bhindi releases mucilage, which is what makes it sticky. Wash it first, then dry it completely before chopping. Spread the okra in a single layer on kitchen paper, let it dry for a while, and pat each piece dry. If you can plan ahead, wash it and leave it to air-dry overnight — it will be ready to use in the morning.

Cook it gently

Frying the okra in a little oil before it joins the masala helps the sliminess disappear. Give it around 15 minutes over a medium-low heat and avoid a high flame: bhindi can brown before the stickiness has had time to cook away.

Families who've made this

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Helpful answers

Questions about Sudesh's Bhindi

How do you stop bhindi becoming slimy?

Wash the whole okra before cutting it, dry it completely, then cook it uncovered in a little oil before adding it to the masala. Sudesh's method gives it about 15 minutes over a medium to medium-low heat so the stickiness has time to cook away.

Should bhindi be washed before cutting?

Yes. Wash each whole bhindi first, pat it thoroughly dry and only then remove the ends and slice it. Cutting wet okra encourages more stickiness.

How long does bhindi take to cook?

In this recipe, the okra cooks on its own for about 15 minutes, then for another 5 minutes with the masala. Keep the heat moderate so it softens without browning too quickly.

What can you serve with bhindi?

Sudesh serves this bhindi with warm roti and dal. It also works well with paratha or rice.

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