Stuffed Bhindi

Stuffed okra is one of my favorites and I would like to eat that along with plain dal especially on a rainy day. I got fresh Okra from the local farmer’s market for $4 a bucket and I am planning to make variety of recipes using the remaining ones.

You need…

20 okras
4 tbsp besan/gram flour
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp jeera powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
½ tsp amchur powder
salt to taste
a pinch of turmeric

1. Slit okras vertically and keep aside. *
2. Roast besan until the raw smell goes. This step is optional, you can make it without roasting too.
3. Mix all powders together and with ginger garlic paste.
4. Fill this powder carefully with spoon in the slits that you made for okra.
5. Shallow fry them in oil and remove when brown and cooked.
   

* You can even roast okras before filling it with powder for crispiness.

Interesting facts:

Okra leaves may be cooked in a similar manner as the greens of

beets or dandelions. The leaves are also eaten raw in salads. Okra seeds may be roasted and ground to form a non-caffeinated substitute for coffee.

Nutrition Info: Okra is a rich source of many nutrients, including fiber, vitamin B6 and folic acid.

1. The superior fiber found in okra helps to stabilize blood sugar as it curbs the rate at which sugar is absorbed from the intestinal tract.
2. Okra's mucilage not only binds cholesterol but bile acid carrying toxins dumped into it by the filtering liver. But it doesn't stop there...
3. Many alternative health practitioners believe all disease begins in the colon. The okra fiber, absorbing water and ensuring bulk in stools, helps prevent and improve constipation. Fiber in general is helpful for this but okra is one of the best, along with ground flax seed and psyllium. Unlike harsh wheat bran, which can irritate or injure the intestinal tract, okra's mucilage soothes, and okra facilitates elimination more comfortably by its slippery characteristic many people abhor. In other words, this incredibly valuable vegetable not only binds excess cholesterol and toxins (in bile acids) which cause numerous health problems if not evacuated, but then assures easy passage out of the body of same. Unlike some prescription and over-the-counter drugs for this, the veggie is completely non-toxic, non-habit forming (except for the many who greatly enjoy eating it), has no adverse side effects, is full of nutrients, and is economically within reach of most.
4. Further contributing to the health of the intestinal tract, okra fiber (as well as flax and psyllium) has no equal among fibers for feeding the good bacteria (probiotics).
5. To retain most of okra's nutrients and self-digesting enzymes, it should be cooked as little as possible, e.g. with low heat or lightly steamed. Some eat it raw. However, if one is going to fry it (and it is undeniably delicious prepared that way when rolled in cornmeal and salt), only extra virgin olive oil, or UNREFINED coconut butter is recommended (this is NOT the unhealthy partially hydrogenated product found in processed foods.) Organic ghee used by gourmet chefs, has the oil and flavor of butter without the solids, is also excellent for frying okra (does not burn like butter),
   
   Nutrition Info :

http://www.physiology.wisc.edu/ravi/okra/

1. Interesting facts: wikipedia.org
   

Malai Bhindi/Okra

The thought that came to me soon after seeing these fresh, tender, soft Bhindis(Lady’s Fingers/Okras) is Malai Bhindi recipe. It’s been a while since I made this curry. Plus I had some naans at home and thought that, that would complete my meal.

There are so many childhood memories I have with this vegetable. My mom would make bhindi fry atleast once a week for the lunch along with parathas. And I used to wait for the lunch break to eat them. This was one of my favorites in those days esp those small eggs inside of bhindi, it was so much fun eating them. The thought that makes me laugh even today is the way we used to eat bhindi curry during the exams season as bhindi is supposed to sharpen the memory. Not just us but my cousins and everyone around.

Deep fried okra is quite popular in the United States but I never tasted that. Did anyone of you tried that? let me know how it tastes?


To prepare this you need...
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Ingredients
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20 bhindis
1 medium onion
1 medium tomato
1/2 cup cream
6 tbsp oil
1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
salt to taste
cilantro for garnishing

powders

1 tbsp coriander
1/2 tbsp jeera
1/2 tbsp garam masala
1 tbsp chilli powder
a pinch of turmeric

1. Cut the head and tail of the bhindis and cook them by roasting them in 2 spoons oil.
2. On the side, blend onion, tomato.
3. Heat a cooking pan, add 3 spoons oil, add the onion, tomato mixture and let it cook for 10-15 mins.
4. Add the ginger-garlic paste and try for 2 mins.
5. Add all the powders and cook for 2 more minutes.
6. Add bhindis, salt and cook for another 5 mins.
7. Finally add cream and switch off the stove and keep it covered for 5 mins.
8. Garnish with cilantro at the end.

Serve with naan, it tastes great. You should eat this to know its delicious taste.