Bharwa Bhindi (Stuffed Okra) is a popular Indian side dish where the okra is stuffed with spicy & tangy masala filling. This vegan & gluten free dish is a perfect side with Indian roti or paratha, or even great to enjoy as an appetizer. Bharwan means stuffed and Bhindi means Okra. In this dish, okra is slit on one side and stuffed with spices, then fried to make a wonderful side dish. This is an easy recipe with very less ingredients and prep work.
Ingredients10.5 ounces Okra (Bhindi)
2 tablespoon Oil for frying
½ Lime
Spice Stuffing2 tablespoon Coriander powder (Dhaniya powder)
2 teaspoon Ground Cumin (Jeera powder)
1 teaspoon Dry Mango powder (Amchur)
1 teaspoon Kashmiri Red Chili powder mild
1 teaspoon Garam masala
¼ teaspoon Ground Turmeric (Haldi powder)
1 teaspoon Salt
2 teaspoon Oil
Method- Wash the bhindi with water and let it air dry. You can spread the bhindi on a kitchen towel to let it air dry. If you are in a hurry, wipe the bhindi with a paper towel to dry them completely.
- Cut the tops, and slit each bhindi lengthwise. We still want the bhindi to be joined at one end.
- In a bowl, mix all the stuffing spices.
- Take one bhindi at a time and stuff it with the spice mix. Repeat with all the slit bhindi. Be generous when filling the bhindi, it is okay with some masala falls out.
Fry in a pan on stovetop- Heat oil in a pan on medium heat. Use a pan large enough to fit the bhindi in a single layer.
- Place the stuffed bhindi in the pan. Let it heat for couple of minutes, then lower the heat. Cover the pan.
- Then open and flip the bhindi every 2-3 minutes until they are cooked. This will take about 12-15 minutes.
Cook in air fryer
- Place the stuffed okra in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Cook at 360F for 12 mins. Remove the basket at about 8 minutes to flip the okra.
Finishing- Bharwa bhindi is ready to be served. We enjoy it with a generous squeeze of lime juice on top. Serve with hot roti or paratha, or just enjoy it as an appetizer.