Bhindi do Pyaza is a flavorful Indian dish of crunchy okra cooked with lots of onions, garlic, and aromatic spices. Pair it with dal and rice for a simple Indian meal. Vegan & Gluten-free.
Bhindi, also called okra, is a popular vegetable in India. Growing up, it was one of my favorite vegetables.
Even though many relate okra to being slimy and dislike it, when appropriately cooked, okra can be the most delicious vegetable to enjoy.
If you enjoy bhindi like me, check out Bharwa Bhindi, Crispy Roasted Okra, Kurkuri Bhindi, and my most popular Bhindi Masala recipes.
I learned this Bhindi do pyaza recipe from my mom when she was visiting last summer. It goes well with a simple Indian meal - dal, roti, and raita.
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Why is it called Bhindi do Pyaza?
Bhindi do pyaza literally translates to okra with twice the onions. Crunchy okra cooked with sweet sautéed onions, aromatic garlic, and flavorful spices. You can also call this recipe "pyaaz wali bhindi".
There are a couple of theories about why this bhindi recipe with onions is called Bhindi do pyaza.
One is that it has double the onions, and the other uses onions cut in two ways - diced and pearled. In my opinion, double the onions = double the taste.
In North India, bhindi is a popular dish to order at restaurants. It is also easy to make and cooks quickly. The main effort is typically cutting the bhindi.
Okra is also a nutritious vegetable - low in calories and high in fiber, potassium, and vitamins.
Ingredients
- Bhindi: Buy Indian style dark green okra. Pick small or medium-sized ones. Skip the dry, dull, and fat ones, as they are not too mature and won't cook well. You want to pick slim okra that is crisp.
- Oil: Traditionally, bhindi is cooked with mustard oil. It gives a unique flavor to the cooked dish. However, you can use any vegetable oil of your choice. When cooking with mustard oil, remember to heat it till it smokes.
- Cumin seeds: When sautéed in hot oil, cumin adds a delightful flavor and aroma to the dish.
- Green Chili: I use Thai green chili for the extra kick. But you can use jalapeno or serrano peppers too.
- Onion: I use yellow onions, but you can use red onions too.
- Garlic: I like to use finely diced garlic in this bhindi recipe.
- Spices: Turmeric, red chili powder, coriander powder, and cumin powder are just a few spices you need for flavor and seasoning. Another spice I like to add to bhindi is amchur, which is dry mango powder. This adds a slight tanginess to the dish and ensures that the bhindi is not slimy. These spices are readily available at Indian grocery stores or on Amazon.
How to make it?
In many recipes, you will see that the okra and onions are sautéed separately and then mixed. I like to make it a one-time easy process, so I cook them together.
- Start rinsing and completely dry the okra with paper towels or a kitchen towel. You can also rinse and leave it to air dry overnight on a kitchen towel to save some effort.
- Cut dried okra into rounds, discarding the top and bottom.
- Cut the onions in two ways - Dice one cup of onions. Cut about 1 cup of onions into squares, and separate each layer. If you have small pearl onions, you can cut them in half and separate each peel.
- Heat a pan on medium heat. Add oil to it, and let it heat. If using mustard oil, heat the oil till it smokes.
- Add cumin seeds, green chili pepper, garlic, and sauté for a few seconds. Add the sliced onion and saute for a few minutes. You want the onions to soften, not brown.
- Now add the chopped bhindi, turmeric, and salt. Mix well. Cover with a lid and cook for 3-4 minutes. Remove the lid.
- Add the onion squares. Add the coriander powder, cumin powder, and red chili powder. Stir gently, lower the heat, and cook for 5-7 more minutes until the bhindi is cooked through.
- Add the amchur powder. Gently stir and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Turn off the heat, and garnish with freshly chopped cilantro leaves.
- Bhindi do pyaza is ready to be enjoyed.
Pro-Tips to make non-slimy Bhindi
- Dry: Wash the okra first, and dry thoroughly using a kitchen towel or paper towel. You can also wash and leave it to dry on a kitchen towel overnight.
- Do not over-stir: When cooking bhindi, stir it very gently. We don't want to over-stir and break them while cooking.
- Tangy ingredient: To make the perfect non-slimy bhindi, add tangy ingredients such as tomato, amchur powder, or lime juice. I add tomatoes to my bhindi masala recipe and amchur powder in this one.
Can I use frozen okra?
It is best to use fresh okra in most cases. However, if you don't have an option, you can still make this stir fry with frozen okra.
Thaw the frozen okra in a colander or on a paper towel. Dab with paper towels to remove any extra liquid.
Then cook the okra uncovered in the recipe. I suggest not using a lid at all. And make sure to add amchur/dry mango powder or lime juice at the end.
How to Serve?
Serve this bhindi as a side with roti or parathas, along with dal and/or raita.
You can also serve it as a side with dal and rice for a gluten-free dinner. Bhindi do pyaza will also pair well with gluten-free Indian pancakes like besan chilla and moong dal chilla.
Commonly Asked Questions
Bhindi loses its green color if it is overcooked. You can cook the bhindi thoroughly without a lid or if you use a lid, use it just for a few minutes. This helps to cook the bhindi well without losing the green color. Also, add acids such as lime juice at the end.
You want to wash okra before using it to remove any dirt. However, dry it thoroughly before cutting it or using it in a recipe. This ensures that the cooked okra won't be slimy because of washing.
Store leftover bhindi do Pyaza in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
You can reheat it in the microwave or a skillet on the stovetop.
More Favorite Indian Side Dishes
Bhindi do Pyaza (Okra Stir Fry)
Ingredients
- 1 lb Okra (Bhindi) cut into equal ½-3/4 rounds
- 2 tablespoon Mustard Oil or any vegetable oil
- ½ teaspoon Cumin seeds (Jeera)
- 2 Green chili pepper adjust to taste
- 4 cloves Garlic finely diced
- 1 cup Onion medium sliced
- 1 cup Onions or pearl onions, cut into squares and layers separated
Spices
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Ground Turmeric (Haldi powder)
- 2 teaspoon Coriander powder (Dhaniya powder)
- ½ teaspoon Ground Cumin (Jeera powder)
- ½ teaspoon Red Chili powder (optional)
- ½ teaspoon Dry Mango powder (Amchur)
Instructions
- Rinse and completely dry okra with paper towels. Cut dried okra into rounds, discarding the top.
- Heat a pan on medium heat. Add oil to it, and let it heat. If using mustard oil, heat the oil till it smokes.
- Add cumin seeds, green chili pepper, garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Add the sliced onion and saute for 2-3 minutes. You want the onions to soften, not brown.
- Add chopped bhindi, turmeric, and salt. Mix well. Cover with a lid and cook for 3-4 minutes. Remove the lid.
- Add the onion squares. Add the coriander powder, cumin powder, red chili powder. Stir gently and lower the heat and cook for 5-7 more minutes until the bhindi is cooked through.
- Add the amchur powder. Gently stir and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Turn off heat, and garnish with freshly chopped cilantro leaves. Bhindi do pyaza is ready!
Video
Notes
- Wash the okra first, and dry thoroughly using a kitchen towel or paper towel. You can also wash and leave it to dry on a kitchen towel overnight.
- When cooking bhindi, stir it very gently. We don't want to over-stir and break them while cooking.
Note: Nutrition values are my best estimates. If you rely on them for your diet, use your preferred nutrition calculator.
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