Bharwa Bhindi (Stuffed Okra)
Apr 19, 2018
Okra stuffed with a spicy masala. This famous Indian dish goes well with flat-breads like roti and paratha. Vegan & gluten-free.
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Bharwa Bhindi is a popular Indian side dish where the okra (bhindi) is stuffed with a spicy filling. This vegan dish goes really well with flatbread like roti or paratha.
Bhindi aka okra, is one of my favorite vegetables. In India, we cook okra a lot and almost everyone likes it. Sarvesh is a huge fan and so whenever I go to the Indian store here, I make it a point to buy some fresh okra to cook at home. At my home, bhindi was usually cooked in a very simple way with little spices. Mom always served that with roti and dal and it made such a comforting and healthy meal.
Another way in which bhindi was cooked in my home was by stuffing it with spices aka bharwa bhindi. Bharwa=stuffed and Bhindi=okra so in this recipe, the okra is stuffed with a spicy filling and then cooked in a pan. It’s a simple recipe with little to no prep work. The only prep work you have to do is to slit the okra and then stuff them with a spice mix. That’s pretty much it, there’s nothing else to chop or prep.
Whenever I make bhindi, I make it a point to let them air dry. This makes cutting the okra really easy, else its a slimy mess. You can do this few hours before you plan to cook it, wash the okra well and then place them on a paper towel and let them dry. I also do this overnight at times, if I can plan that early in advance! (which rarely happens).
Okay, so with the stuffed bhindi, obviously it’s all about the stuffing. People use different spices in different proportions. Some people use only few spices, some use besan (chickpea flour) and I used coconut! So my stuffing includes common Indian spices and also coconut. You will notice that I have a lot of spices going on here, well since you don’t add anything else in this recipe, the taste of the okra totally depends on the stuffing so you have to go a little heavy on it.
These Bharwa Bhindi
✓ is a vegan and gluten-free recipe
✓ pairs well with roti or paratha
✓ easy to make with minimal ingredients
✓ stuffed with coconut, coriander, cumin and garam masala!
While the recipe itself is simple, you have to take care while cooking the okra. First, you have to cook it on low heat. If you cook it on high heat, the okra will get brown quickly but it won’t get cooked. Second, you have to keep turning the okra carefully after every 2 minutes or so. This ensures even cooking. And Thirdly, always place the stuffed okra in a single layer in a large pan. If your pan is small and the okras are all over each other, they won’t get cooked evenly. So its really important to cook them in a single layer in the pan.
We enjoyed this bharwa bhindi with some roti and dal. Yes, I served it in the same way mom used to do. Somethings should never change! 🙂 So next time you have a bag of okra and you are not sure what to do with it, I suggest you try this bharwa bhindi. It will make for a nice change!
Looking for more ways to cook okra? Check these out!
Method
Wash the bhindi and let it dry. I often use a paper towel to pat dry them. Then make a cut in each bhindi lengthwise without cutting through the entire length. They should still be joint at one end. Do this with every bhindi and then set them aside.
To a large bowl add desiccated coconut powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, dried mango powder (amchur), red chili powder, garam masala, turmeric powder and salt.
Mix all the spices together with a spoon.
Add 2 teaspoons of oil to the stuffing and mix it well with the spices. The stuffing for the bhindi is now ready.
Take one bhindi and stuff it with the prepared masala.
Repeat with the remaining bhindis. Make sure to stuff them well with a generous amount of masala. Set them aside.
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large pan on medium heat. Place the stuffed bhindi in a single layer in the pan. After 2 minutes, lower the heat to medium-low and cover the pan.
After 2 minutes, open the pan and carefully flip each bhindi. Cover the pan again and flip the bhindi again after 2 minutes.
Keep tossing the bhindi after every 2-3 minutes or so until it’s tender and done. This will take around 15 minutes on low heat.
Serve bharwa bhindi hot with roti or paratha. You can squeeze some lemon juice on top before serving for extra tang or also garnish with cilantro.
Bharwa Bhindi
Ingredients
- 450 grams okra/bhindi
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Stuffing Masala
- 4 tablespoons desiccated coconut powder
- 2 tablespoons coriander powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon dried mango powder also known as amchur
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil divided
Instructions
- Wash the bhindi and let it dry. I often use a paper towel to pat dry them. Then make a cut in each bhindi lengthwise without cutting through the entire length. They should still be joint at one end. Do this with every bhindi and then set them aside.
- To a large bowl add desiccated coconut powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, dried mango powder (amchur), red chili powder, garam masala, turmeric powder and salt.
- Mix all the spices together with a spoon. Then add 2 teaspoons of oil to the stuffing and mix it well with the spices. The stuffing for the bhindi is now ready.
- Take one bhindi and stuff it with the prepared masala. Repeat with the remaining bhindis. Make sure to stuff them well with a generous amount of masala. Set them aside.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large pan on medium heat. Place the stuffed bhindi in a single layer in the pan. After 2 minutes, lower the heat to medium-low and cover the pan.
- After 2 minutes, open the pan and carefully flip each bhindi. Cover the pan again and flip the bhindi again after 2 minutes.
- Keep tossing the bhindi after every 2-3 minutes or so until it's tender and done. This will take around 15 minutes on low heat.
- Serve bharwa bhindi hot with roti or paratha. You can squeeze some lemon juice on top before serving for extra tang or also garnish with cilantro.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Excellent preparation with step by step guidelines. Thank you for this yummm Bhindi recipe.
A super recipe. Anyone who dislikes veggies will love the bhendis made this way
Love this recipe but then I have not come across a recipe my family and I haven’t love
awesome!
Looks very inviting and tasty. Going to try today
Excellent thank you
Thank you for this lovely recipe. It turned out to be sublime. I added a bit more aamchur powder than required. Suuuuperb.
My anchur finally arrived, and I am trying this for the first time. Really cool recipe!!!
My only complaint was I had to more than double the stuffing amounts for the mass of okra listed here. Maybe I stuffed them too much???
Anyways I tried using chana flour (besan) instead of the coconut because I had some at home, and I also used 50% black salt for more flavor!!! Also, the besan will add some extra protein in this meal as it comes from a pea. Thank you so much!!
I guess so, the filling is perfect for me quantity wise. Glad you liked it.
Sorry I meant frozen whole okra
I only get frozen while okra where I live. Would that be okay?
Hi Lisa, I have not tried this recipe with frozen okra but you can give it a go 🙂
Manali …..
I have first time cooked Bharwa Bhendi as per your guidance and it was too delicious ..
My wife and son both got impressed . Thanks for such delicious recipe ..
You are welcome!
Can try this recipe without coconut powder and i loved the taste ? thanks for sharing
you can! should be okay
Wonderful recipe! I used this as the base recipe, sauted in the pan for 2 mins, then airfryed to make it crispy.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bwi8WX5JJzL/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=1ctbeaqgsif6e
The only vegetable my son loves eating and he simply loved this recipe and so did everyone else in my family….thank you for sharing.
glad to know Sandhya!
I am making this now and so excited to see how it turns out. I have made this before but your recipe with the coconut added seems so exciting. Thank you,
Hope you like it!
Very quick and easy way of making masala bhindi…. i really loved the way you explained it. Will definately try it…. will rate it high?
Even though I didn’t have amchur or turmeric, this was very tasty. My dad doesn’t like okra but he loved this! I will definitely make it again with the full ingredients list.
glad your dad enjoyed it Rosa! 🙂
Okra is good for diabetics !!!
Bhindi is my favourite and that too spicy. Thanks for sharing this article.
We don’t have okra here, but will search for alternatives … any ideas?
this recipe has nothing else but okra so I am not sure about the alternatives 🙂
Okra can not be replaced. As it’s unique vegetable
you can stuff the spices in eggplant/brinjal.
That looks soooo good! Can’t wait to make this for weekends. Thanks for sharing!
Interesting! I’m quite familiar with okra as it appears in a lot of southern (US) dishes, but I’ve never heard of stuffing it. It’s usually used as an ingredient to help thicken gumbos and stews. But now I want to try it this way! Looks delicious, Manali!
I recently moved from PA and am delighted to see so many variations of Okra. I have always known only the Indian way. God bless Cross Border cuisine!
Hi try other okra recipe in Indian style all of them are mouth watering ,loved by kids and adults with flatten breads
Have never thought of stuffing okra with just masala…they look so inviting!