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Wednesday, March 31, 2021

Scrumptious Stuffed Okra / Bharela Bhinda

Vibrant Green Okra
Vibrant Green Okra

Cooking is an art that involves time and forbearance for the perfect balance of excellence and taste. I was wondering, does anyone feel as infuriated as I do about the sequence of cooking a dish and uncover on a plate without touching its limitations. Even a tiny herb can't be settled for less, I find that when edibles are cooked together in a certain way it brings out the x-factor of its own. This thought reminds me of Ratatouille – who is one of those characters who won't hog anything without checking its parameters. Why should we deal with the beautiful nature of goodies with a flat taste when the same item can be transformed into a delectable dose of happiness? Food doesn't call for exceptional ingredients, even an ordinary spice can change the flavor if cooked in a right proportion and approach.

Okra or bhindi is one of those veggie that is versatile, easy to cook and hard to resist. Did I just say easy to cook!! Oh ya, this recipe has all the plain sailing ingredients, if comfort was the visual – it would be stuffed okra, salad and a scoop of ghee on Indian flatbreads. I love okra and it was fair for me to invest over half an hour in stuffing these while watching Sing *I can continue to watch this movie with equal thrill like I did for the very first time back in 2016. This healthy okra is cooked in a traditional way possible and a great way to eat more! If you want to try classic curry style okra you can check out my Okra Curry recipe.

Scrumptious Stuffed Okra / Bharela Bhinda

Scrumptious Stuffed Okra / Bharela Bhinda
 Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: One hour

Serves: 2-3 persons

Ingredients:

1 large bowl okra, wash - cut its top and bottom and slit in between

½ cup cooking oil

1 raw mango, the paste form – substitute can be 2 tablespoons lemon juice or 2 tablespoons raw mango powder or 3 tablespoons of tamarind sauce

1 tablespoon green chili paste, as per your spice meter

1 teaspoon garlic paste

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

1 teaspoon red chili powder, optional

1 tablespoon coriander powder

1 teaspoon cumin powder

¼ teaspoon all spice powder

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

½ teaspoon salt

½ lemon

Method:

  • In a bowl, add 4 tablespoons cooking oil, 1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro, green chilies and garlic paste, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 tablespoon coriander powder, 1 tablespoon red chili powder, 1 teaspoon cumin powder, ¼ teaspoon all spice powder, ¼ teaspoon salt and raw mango paste. Mix well into a smooth paste.
  • With the help of a spoon, gently stuff this smooth paste inside the slit gap of okra. Leave the leftover mixture aside.
  • In a wok, heat 2 tablespoons of cooking oil, allow cumin seeds to sputter and lower down the flame.
  • Place the stuffed okra and add leftover mixture. On a low flame, allow it to cook covered until they are completely done. Don’t forget to check and sauté in between. I like my okra to be slightly overcooked, you can cook as per your preference. This process may not take more than 20 minutes.
  • Finalize by squeezing lemon and garnish it with chopped cilantro. Enjoy!

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