Kurkuri Baked Bhindi

Over the past year and a half, I have been making lifestyle changes. One of them is cooking with as little oil as possible. Being Vegan by choice (for most part) I have been experimenting with different recipes. Here is a baked crispy bhindi. Vegan and gluten free, not forgetting its baked!

Collect it:

· 250 grams okra, 20-22 okras, choose long slender ones

· 2.5 tbsp besan, gram flour

· 1 tbsp rice flour

· 1/2 tsp garam masala

· 1/2 tsp ajwain, carom seeds

· 1/2 tsp turmeric

· 1/2 tsp chaat masala

· 1/8 tsp red chili powder, or adjust to taste

· 1.5 tbsp mustard oil

· salt, to taste

· lemon juice, to taste

Make it:

Make sure to choose long slender okra for this recipe. Wash the okra and then and pat dry each okra with a paper towel. This is important. Once dried, cut each okra into 4 pieces. If your okra is small, you may cut them into 2 pieces. You may also remove the seeds from the okra, I keep them as such.

To a large bowl add all the cut okra slices. Then add in besan, rice flour, garam masala, ajwain, turmeric, chaat masala and red chili powder.

Then add the mustard oil. Toss everything together. I mix everything using my hands. Rub each okra slice with the masala and oil using your hand. And don’t worry if it looks like they aren’t all coated well with the masala. It would taste good in the end. Leave this mixture for 10 minutes if you want. I usually bake straight away.

Line a large baking tray or 2 regular sized baking tray with aluminum foil. Then spray the foil nicely with oil. Then arrange all the coated okra slices in a single layer on the aluminum foil. Bake at 180 C degrees (pre-heat for 15 minutes at least) for 20 to 22 minutes until brown and crisp.

Then remove tray from oven and let it sit for 5 more minutes. Sprinkle salt all over and stir. 

Transfer to serving plate, you can squeeze lemon juice or sprinkle some more chaat masala. Serve kurkuri bhindi as an appetizer or a side to any Indian meal.

If you want to deep fry, simple follow all the steps as it is. Also add the salt along with all the spices. Let the bhindi sit for 10 to 15 minutes after it’s marinated. Then heat 3-4 tablespoons of oil on high heat in a wok/kadai. Fry okra slices in batches until browned and crisp.