Kurkuri Bhindi (Indian Fried Okra)

4.93 from 40 votes

Kurkuri Bhindi is a spicy, tasty and super crispy dish made with tender okra or ladies’ finger, gram flour, spices and seasonings. This crispy Fried Okra is one of the best side dishes you can make to pair with your everyday Indian meals.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Marination Time30

Total Time1

Course: Side Dish, Snacks

Cuisine: Indian, North Indian

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Servings:

Calories: 391kcal

Author: Dassana Amit

Ingredients

500 grams okra (bhindi or lady finger)
½ teaspoon turmeric powder (ground turmeric)
1 teaspoon red chili powder or paprika
1 teaspoon Coriander Powder (ground coriander)
1 teaspoon cumin powder (ground cumin)
1 teaspoon Garam Masala
1 teaspoon dry mango powder (amchur powder)
1 teaspoon chaat masala
½ cup gram flour (besan) or swap with chickpea flour
salt - add as required
10 tablespoons oil or add as required, for frying the bhindi in batches

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preparation

Rinse the okra or bhindi in water for 3 to 4 times. Wipe them completely dry with a kitchen napkin. Trim off the crown and the base tip.
Slice each okra vertically into 4 pieces.
If you have small sized okra, then slice into 2 pieces. Take all your sliced okra in a big plate or a big bowl.
Now sprinkle all the spice powders one by one on the sliced okra. Season with salt according to taste.
With a spoon or spatula, gently mix the spice powders with the okra.
Sprinkle the besan on the okra.
Again, gently mix the besan with the okra. The besan and the seasonings must evenly coat the okra slices.
Marinate the okra in this mixture for 20 to 30 minutes. You could also keep it for an hour.

Making Kurkuri Bhindi

In your kadai (wok) or a frying pan, heat 2 to 3 tablespoons oil.
Add a batch of marinated okra and fry. You can fry in three to four batches depending on the size of kadai. Add more oil if required while frying okra.
Fry the okra till golden brown and crisp on a medium heat.
Take care and keep on turning the okra so that they get fried evenly. If the oil becomes too hot, you could lower the heat and fry.
Keep the fried okra on a crumpled kitchen tissue so that the extra oil gets drained.
For the next batch again add 2 to 3 tablespoons oil or as required in the pan. Let the oil become medium hot and then add the marinated bhindi. For each batch add 2 to 3 tablespoons oil or as required while frying.
Serve bhindi kurkuri directly as they are or if you want you could garnish okra with coriander leaves, julienned ginger or sliced green chilis.
If you like you could also sprinkle some lime or lemon juice on top of the crispy okra. you could also sprinkle some black salt (kala namak) or chaat masala on the crispy fried okra.
Enjoy the Kurkuri Bhindi as is or pair with roti and a bowl of curd or yogurt.

Notes

Feel free to adjust the quantities of the ground spice powders according to your taste preferences.
For the best experience, consume this recipe while it's hot or warm to savor the crispy texture.
While I have only used gram flour, but you can add a few tablespoons of rice flour for a more crispy texture.
It's advisable to avoid leftovers, so scale the recipe based on your requirements. As it stands, this recipe serves 4.
Opt for bright green, fresh, and tender okra pods for optimal results. Avoid using matured okra that may have become fibrous and stringy.
If needed, the recipe can be easily halved or doubled to accommodate your specific serving size or preferences.
For baking Kurkuri Bhindi - Spread the marinated okra in a greased tray. Brush some oil on the top of the okra. You can also add 1 tablespoon oil in the marination mixture and mix it very well with the okra. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees C/356 degrees F, for 18 to 20 minutes or until the okra are crisp and golden. It's essential to monitor the baking process closely, as oven temperatures vary, and the time required for baking may differ.

Nutrition