Indian Style Crispy Okra Fry
Kurkuri Bhindi is a popular vegetarian side dish to serve with Indian main-course dishes, especially curries. Tender okra (bhindi) marinated in a spicy, gluten-free, vegan marinade and then fried till crisp. If you have an okra hate club member in your family, this crispy bhindi fry will change their opinion forever. Over the years, kurkuri bhindi has become a regular affair on an everyday lunch plate.
How To Prepare Okra For Frying
Start with picking the fresh and tender okra (ladyfinger) for making crispy bhindi. Wash them with water, and let them sit on a colander to drain all the water or spread on a kitchen towel to air dry. The idea is to have dry and moisture-free okra while slicing. Rub a teaspoon of oil in your finger and the knife. Remove the crown and the tip of the okra. Cut each piece lengthwise into four thin strips/sticks. If the okra is big, cut it into half to have equal-length sticks. Discard the white seeds as they pop and splutter while frying the okra.
Ingredients Required
Kurkuri Bhindi is a no onion, no garlic, no tomato recipe. Apart from okra (ladyfinger), you need a handful of Indian spices and seasoning to make it. Flour: Gram Flour (besan) and Rice Flour. Both of these flour are gluten-free. Spices: Red Chili Powder, Turmeric Powder, Dried Mango Powder (Amchur), Cumin Powder, Chaat Masala, Coriander Powder Other Ingredients: Refined Oil, Salt, Water Optional Ingredients: Achaar Masala, Nigella Seeds, Ajwain (Carom Seeds)
Watch Kurkuri Bhindi Video
Air Fryer Crispy Bhindi
The good news is you can make this delicious, positively addictive crispy bhindi in an air fryer with only a few tablespoons of oil. Step 1) Preheat the air fryer to 180 degrees Celcius. Spray or brush the inner basket with cooking oil. Step 2) Combine sliced okra with the dry (flour, salt, spices) marinade ingredients (images 1 & 2). Step 3) Add a tablespoon of water and 2 tablespoons of oil to the marinated okra. Mix nicely. This helps in sticking marinade to the okra (image 3). Step 4) Arrange them on a single layer in the air fryer basket (image 4). Air Fry for 20 minutes with turning the food after 10 minutes. I prefer shaking the basket 2 – 3 times during the process. Keep an eye on the okra while air frying; at times, they get ready in 15 – 16 minutes.
My Tried & True Tips
There are key points to keep in mind while making crispy bhindi. Otherwise, you might end up with an inedible version of the dish. It happened to me during the initial phase of the kurkuri bhindi recipe trial. So, follow my tried and true tips to the tee.
Serving Suggestion
Kurkuri Bhindi is a fantastic Indian side dish that compliments most of the curries and dals. I serve it with various Indian main course dishes like Rajma Masala, Arhar (Toor) Dal Fry, Punjabi Kadhi Pakora chapati/phulka, and rice.
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