Pakistani cuisine has a wide array of these delicious vegetable dry curries, such as tindora recipe(ivy gourd), zucchini curry, meat & cauliflower curry, and easy eggplant curry.
Why you’ll love this recipe
Simple ingredients - There are no complex spices or ingredients in this recipe. Everything needed for the Bhindi Masala is a supermarket staple. Healthy recipe - The air fryer makes this a much healthier version of the traditional okra curry, so you can enjoy it guilt-free. Crispy Okra - No one likes slimy Okra and with this Air fryer recipe at your fingertips, you’ll never have to worry about it again. Suitable for all diets - Dietary restrictions? This Bhindi Masala recipe has you covered. It’s vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, paleo, and low-carb.
The ingredients
Okra - For best results, try and find Okra that’s small, and has thin skin. The taste and final result of your Air fryer Okra curry will be much better. Onions - Yellow onions are always what I use in my curries. Tomatoes - Roma tomatoes melt easily and work best for Pakistani curries. Dried pomegranate seeds - These are not essential but add a lot of flavor to the Bhindi Masala if you can source them easily. Red chili powder - If you can’t find red chili powder then use cayenne as a substitute for this recipe.
For the complete list of ingredients with measurements plus recipe instructions, please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Substitutions & variations
Make a restaurant-style bhindi - Add some garam masala and coriander powder along with a tempering of cumin seeds and mustard seeds for a bolder flavor to your bhindi masala. Deep fry the bhindi - Deep fry the Okra in well-heated oil as per the traditional method. This immediately dehydrates it and removes all moisture. Thus, the slime is gone and you have deliciously crispy bhindi! Bake the bhindi - No air fryer? You can still keep this recipe on the healthier side by baking the okra at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes. Pomegranate seed substitutes - Can’t source pomegranate seeds but want that tangy flavor? Try amchur powder or sumac powder for this air fryer curry instead.
Step-by-step instructions
Expert Tips
Make sure to source the right Okra - Half the job is done if you start out with fresh, small, tender okra. The skin should be thin and shiny and there should be no visible bruises on it. The okra pod should be firm to the touch. The smaller the bhindi, the smaller the seeds, resulting in less slime and a shorter cooking time for the bhindi masala. Make sure the bhindi is totally dry before you cut it - Wash your fresh vegetables well, pat them dry, and let them air dry for a while so there is absolutely no moisture on them. This will help them crisp up better. Cut the bhindi thin - While many recipes will tell you to cut 1-inch pieces, I slice my okra very thin. I find that it gets much crispier this way. Cooking the bhindi - Spread the bhindi in an even layer if you are baking or air frying it to insure it crisps up quicker. If frying it, make sure the oil is preheated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit before adding in the Okra.
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