top of page

Food & Travel Senses 

Search

What Is Okra?

  • Okra is the seed pod of the Abelmoschus esculentus plant.

  • Its appearance is distinctive: long, slender, and tubelike, filled with tiny white seeds.

  • Native to Ethiopia, okra made its way to North America centuries ago through the Atlantic Slave Trade.

  • It’s a versatile vegetable that means different things to different people.

Culinary Uses:

  • Okra is commonly used in various cuisines, including Southern, Caribbean, and Indian.

  • It’s essential in dishes like gumbo and stews.

  • Some people love it for its sliminess, while others may not be fans.

  • The mucilage in okra acts as a natural thickener when heated, making it perfect for dishes like gumbo.

  • You can cook okra in various ways: frying, grilling, sautéing, or pan-roasting.

Cooking Tips:

  • Rinse and pat dry okra before cutting or slicing.

  • Slice it into rounds, lengthwise pieces, or diagonals.

  • To reduce slime, try soaking okra in vinegar before cooking.

  • High-heat methods like grilling or sautéing also work well.

  • Okra has a mild, grassy flavor that’s uniquely its own.

Remember, okra is a vegetable that sparks both culinary creativity and debate. Whether you love it or find it challenging, exploring its flavors is an adventure! 🍽️🌱


Fresh okra is always appealing
Fresh Okra (Lady Finger)

Bhindi Masala (Okra Masala):

  • Ingredients:

  • 250 grams okra (bhindi)

  • 3 tablespoons oil

  • 1 cup finely chopped onions (about 1 medium-sized onion)

  • 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste (or 1 inch ginger and 3 to 4 medium garlic cloves, crushed)

  • 1 cup sliced or chopped tomatoes (about 1 or 2 medium-sized tomatoes)

  • 1 teaspoon coriander powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder (adjust to taste)

  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon garam masala

  • 1/2 teaspoon amchur powder (dry mango powder, or add as required)

  • Salt (as required)

  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves, optional)

  • 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves (optional)


  • Instructions:

Cooked bhindi Masala
Bhindi Masala or Okra Masala


  1. Wash and Wipe dry the whole okra thoroughly to remove any moisture.

  2. Chop the okra into moderately sized pieces but it depends on the size of okra.

  3. Heat the 3 table spoon oil in the pan and add 1 teaspoon of Cumin seeds and wait until it starts splattering.

  4. Add the Chopped garlic & fry until it turn medium brown & then add the chopped onion and fry until golden brown, simultaneously we can add green or dry red chilli pods a couple off depends on the taste and fry.

  5. Then add the Copped Okra & Stir-fry until the sticky substance breaks down and vanishes.

  6. Add Spices but 1st Turmeric mix well for 1 min and ten add rest of the spices except salt all together and mix it well. Let the Okra (Bhindi) simmer for some time and then add tomato and simmer it for 5 to 10 mins to let the spices and okra cooked together.

  7. Garnish with crushed kasuri methi and chopped coriander leaves.

  8. Serve this wholesome, nutritious, and vegan Bhindi Masala with rice, chapati, or roti.


Hope you guys will like it. Do let me know the recipe and put the comments and let me know how your guys are doing it at your home.


See you soon with another recipe.

Updated: Mar 24, 2024

I was wondering what to present you for this Sunday Evening dinner, first I thought of adding another non vegetarian dish, then I thought I should present which is common for everyone. So here I have got the Idea to clean ours fridge from veggies which are still lying there but we aren't thought of clearing it off.Here we go, the dish which can be made vegan or vegetarian and of course with chicken, & fish.

'Creamy Coconut Vegetarian Korma


This dish is quite an interesting dish which is very easy to made and you can add any type of veggies whatever you have in your hand. I personally like this dish with Long Grain Basmati rice, but it can be combined with Brown rice or with Quinoa for health conscious people and on the side you can accompany it with Simple Handmade whole wheat Parathas. Many people life it with Naans as well.

This can be made fully vegan by skipping yogurt or cream and can replace it with Soy cream or Soy based yogurt. I am going to present you this dish in very simple and homestyle way so that you guys can make it very easily.

  • PREP TIME: 10 MINS

  • COOK TIME: 30 MINS

  • TOTAL TIME: 40 MINUTES

  • YIELD: 4 SERVINGS (CAN BE CUT IN HALF) 1X


Ingredients :


FOR THE VEGGIES :

  • 2 to 3 medium sized potato cut in to medium size, or the size desired as per your liking.

  • Mix of veggies which ever is in your fridge like Mushroom, carrots, capsicum, Tofu (for vegan) else Paneer, Cauliflower, Beans, Corns, and green peas. Any mix of vegetables will do. Trust me guys this is going to be awesome.

KORMA SAUCE :

  • 1 tablespoon oil (Butter ghee is desirable) - Gives distinct rich flavour.

  • 1 large onion, chopped (Anytype red or white)

  • 1.5 -inch piece of ginger, peeled and chopped

  • 3 garlic cloves, smashed with the back of a knife

  • 500 ml of tomato Puree

  • 1 tablespoon each: curry powder and garam masala

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons each: cumin, coriander, turmeric, & cardamom( 1 black and 3 green)

  • 1–2 teaspoons sea salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon each: ground cloves, fennel, fenugreek and chili flakes

  • 400ml can of coconut milk

  • 1/2 cup cashews

  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice

  • 1/2 cup yogurt (omit or use vegan yogurt for vegan)

  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar (sub coconut sugar or honey )

  • Top with any or all: cashews, cilantro, lemon, and raisins


INSTRUCTIONS :

  1. Add the potatoes to a medium-sized pot, cover with water and bring to a boil. Let the potatoes boil for 5 minutes then add the rest of the veggies to the pot. Let them boil for another 5 minutes then drain the pot and set it aside. You guys need to make sure that veggies are 80 percent cooked. This can be checked by taking our some veggie and eat it if it has little crunch left then its partial cooked.

  2. While the veggies are cooking, start preparing the vegetarian korma sauce. Heat the oil in a medium-sized pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is soft, about 5 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic and cook for 2 minutes more.

  3. Remove the pot from the heat and add the tomato paste and all of the spices. Stir well then return the pot to the heat. When the spices are fragrant and the tomato paste caramelized, after about 1 minute, add the coconut milk, cashews, lemon juice and 1 1/4 cups of water. Let the pot boil for 5 minutes to soften the cashews.

  4. Blend the curry until it is smooth then add it back to the pot. Add yogurt in the pan over low flame and add brown sugar and sea salt. Cook the curry until yogurt cooked it thoroughly. You can get the typical rich nutty smell once its cooked. Stir the veggies into the curry and cook it for another 5 to 8 mins until veggies cooked it properly and serve immediately topped with any or all of the toppings.


I am sure you guys will like this recipe very much, I shall be waiting for your lovely comments and suggestion. Let's make this sunday evening a KORMA SUNDAY EVENING.


SEE U SOON :)



Chicken tikka masala is said to be a dish of Britishers, when they wanted to try the chicken tikka but it was too dry and they asked the chef to come up with another option, that is how the chicken tikka blended with tomato puree and yogurt. Indian version of chicken tikka masala is a modified version of old recipe and here we have shared our secret recipe to our customers.


Ingredients for 500 gm of Chicken Breast or Chicken thigh pieces.


Step 1 :

Marination - Cut the chicken breast in 1.5 Inch pieces, then add

  1. Yogurt full fat 1 cup 400ml

  2. Ginger and Garlic Paste - 2 Tablespoon full

  3. Red chilli powder - 1 Tea spoon

  4. Kashmiri Chilli Powder for colour - 1 Tablespoon

  5. Black Salt - 2 Pinch

  6. Garam Masala - 1 Tea spoon

  7. Coriander Powder - 1 Teaspoon

  8. Cumin Powder - 1/2 Teaspoon

  9. Oil (Refined or any type ) - 2 Tablespoon

  10. Salt as per taste

Preparation Tech of Chicken Tikka : Mix Chicken breast with all the ingredients together and keep it aside for at least 20 mins or in fridge. After marination take out the marinated chicken and baked in the oven for 20 mins at 220 Watt. Or Those who do not have oven can do the instant fry on open pan with little oil.


STEP 2 :

Gravy or Sauce Preparation - Set up pan with heavy bottom on the gas for preparation and Check for the following ingredients.

  1. Tomatoes 4 pieces chopped or 2 can of Tomato puree 500ml

  2. Butter or Clarified butter ghee or Refined (If ghee is not available) - 3 Tablespoon

  3. 2 Chopped onions

  4. Ginger 2 Inch

  5. 2 Clove garlic

  6. Cumin Powder - 1 Teaspoon

  7. Coriander Powder - 2 Teaspoon

  8. Garam Masala - 1 Teaspoon

  9. Green cardamom - 4 pieces

  10. Black cardamom - 1 piece

  11. Cinnamon Half stick

  12. Bay Leaf - 1 piece

  13. Fenugreek leaves crushed - 1 Tablespoon

  14. Fresh full fat cream - 100ml

  15. Water - 500 ml

Preparation Tech : Add butter or Ghee or Oil in pan. Then add All the Raw spices along with ginger, garlic and onion, fry it for 2 mins until you feel the aromatic smell. Then add rest of the ingredients except Cream, Garam Masala and Fenugreek leaves in the pan and add water and cook for 15 mins until all the tomatoes and onion turn soft. Once done let the content cool down and blend it in to fine creamy or thick sauce.

Add the prepared Chicken Tikka in to this thick sauce and cook it for 5 mins on medium flame and stir it continuously. Add garam masala, and Crushed fenugreek. Add Salt as per taste. Take out the pan out of flame and add fresh cream. Here we go chicken tikka masala is ready to serve.


Try at Home and send your feedback to me, I shall be waiting for your comments and if you guys face any problem ping me instantly. I shall be love to help you immediately. See u soon.


bottom of page