Bharwa Bhindi Recipe – Crispy & Easy Stuffed Okra

Bharwa bhindi is a North Indian side dish to complement your main meals, made with okra, oil, and ground spices. These stuffed okra are crispy on the outside and soft or spicy on the inside. It is made without onion, garlic and is naturally vegan or gluten-free. This delicious bharwa bhindi recipe is perfect to serve with plain paratha, phulka, and along with dal and curries. Try it once, and I’m pretty sure you will be a fan!

About bharwa bhindi

Bharwa means stuffed with spices, and bhindi means okra/ladyfingers, so together they are known as stuffed okra. It is basically made with sliced, filled okra cooked in the oil until crispy and tender.

It is a dry stir-fry dish cooked so well with ground spices: cumin, coriander, and red chilli, till it reaches perfection. I made this stuffed okra recipe along with my main meals like dal and curries. In my regular meals, I like to make simple bhindi sabzi, which is cooked with minimal spices.

This homemade bharwa bhindi is very easy to cook; only the preparation takes time here. Start by rinsing them in water, then dry the okra with a kitchen towel, then slice them in between, then prepare the filling to fill them, and after that, start the cooking process. I know it takes more effort than simple sabzi, but it’s totally worth it in the end.

The main thing to make any bhindi is to dry it completely before chopping. If you wash them immediately before chopping and cooking, they release starch, which makes them sticky and ruins the taste of the dish. So, it’s better to wash them a few hours before cooking, you can dry them with any towel or in a fan.

I always wash them on the same day when they come from the market, then store them in a vegetable basket in the refrigerator. So, there is no need to rinse before cooking. I learnt this time-saving technique from my mother, so I used to do the same thing. You can also try this to save your time.

Ingredients

• Okra- I have used small-sized fresh and tender okra. Avoid using a large size as they are hard to chew and don’t taste better.

• Oil- Mustard oil is good to make this dish awesome, either you can use other neutral vegetable oil or desi ghee. But mustard oil works best.

• Spices- I will use all basic spices which are easily found in any kitchen: coriander, turmeric, red chilli, and garam masala powder. They are all good for making a spicy filling, but if you want to add more, then use cumin powder and asafoetida (hing).

• Salt- I have used rock salt; you can use regular white salt and black salt too.

• Cumin seeds- I used them in the tempering to enhance the taste. This is optional; you can skip them too.

How to make bharwa bhindi recipe

1. Take all the okra to the chopping board to chop. As I told you above, I washed them earlier. If you don’t, then rinse them in clean water and pat dry with any towel.

2. Now remove the heads and ends of them with a knife carefully.

3. After that, slice them from between one by one and check if there is any insect or any spot; remove that part or the whole okra.

4. Now prepare stuffing: add 1 tsp coriander powder, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp red chilli powder, 1/2 tsp garam masala, and 1 tsp salt.

5. Mix all the ingredients well with a spoon, and the filling is ready.

6. Now fill the filling with a spoon or with your fingertips in all the sliced okra properly.

7. When they are all filled, it’s time to cook them. If the stuffing is left, keep it; we use it later while cooking okra. Now heat a tbsp of mustard oil in a heavy-bottomed kadai or a pan on medium heat.

8. Now add 1/2 tsp cumin seeds (jeera) to sizzle for a few seconds.

9. When the cumin seeds start sizzling, add the stuffed okra to that.

10. Add all the remaining stuffing over it.

11. Mix all of the ingredients well and cover the kadai with a steamer. Start cooking on a low flame. There is no need for water here as the okra’s moisture is enough to get cooked.

12. After a few minutes, stir in between so that they don’t stick to the bottom of the kadai and cook until tender and crispy.

13. When they are crispy and tender, turn off the flame. It takes 8 to 10 minutes to get this texture. This will be more or less for you or the utensils you used.

Serving idea

» Garnish with a sprinkle of fresh coriander leaves and serve this stuffed okra with hot phulka and plain paratha for a simple homestyle meal.

» Pair it with dal and jeera rice for a wholesome indian lunch.

» You can enjoy it with a raita and plain curd to balance the spices.

» Enjoy alongside boondi raita and steamed rice for a complete meal.

» Pack it in a lunch box with soft phulka for a healthy, flavorful kick.

Pro Tips

• Wash and dry the bhindi completely before cutting. If any moisture in the okra, it will make it slimy while cooking.

• Always choose small to medium-sized bhindi for the best texture and flavour. They are usually more tender than the larger ones.

• Cook the bharwa bhindi on low heat so that the okra tenderises without burning the spices.

• Avoid overstirring. Gently turn the bhindi after a few minutes to keep the stuffing intact.

• You can add a little amchur (dried mango powder) to the stuffing for a tangy flavour.

• Use a wide pan or kadai so the bhindi cooks evenly.

• Let the bhindi rest for a few minutes after cooking. This helps the flavours settle down and makes stuffing taste better.

More side dishes to complement your meals:

• Dry Arbi Sabzi

• Dry Aloo Sabzi

• Green Chilli Pickle