Bhareli Bindhi – Stuffed Okras or Ladies Fingers

This recipe comes from Cyrus Todiwala, Chef Patron at Cafe Spice Namaste and Mr Todiwala’s Kitchen.

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Bhareli Bindhi – Stuffed Okras or Ladies Fingers

A not so difficult dish to prepare if you love Okras and they are indeed really tasty when a bit more flavour is added to them. In Goa during the monsoon a typical Goan Monsoon Bhenay or Bhindi or Okra appears. They may be as long as twelve inches at times and offer a large surface for stuffing.

Try the recipe below and do use desiccated coconut if you wish to but soak well in warm water before using it as a fresh alternative. Also a variation to this is to blend small fresh or dried shrimps* to the stuffing.

Ingredients

• BHINDI – Twenty to thirty numbers but select long and slender ones. (Do not select thick and seedy looking ones as they will not cook well).
• GRATED COCONUT – ½ Whole coconut or ½ from a frozen packet. (Available from Chinese and Thai or Filipino stores)
• COOKING OIL – Three to four tablespoons
• FRESH GREEN CHILLIES – Two large one finely chopped
• FRESH CORIANDER –  One to two table spoons chopped
• CORIANDER SEEDS – 1 teaspoon crushed fine but not powdered
• CUMIN SEEDS – ½ teaspoon finely crushed but not powdered
• FENNEL SEEDS – ½ teaspoon crushed as above
• SALT – To taste
• CHAAT MASALA – Two teaspoons (Available in Asian stores)
• TURMERIC POWDER – ¼th teaspoon.

Method

1. Wash & wipe the bhindi’s first. If you do not wipe them they will get gooey when worked on.
2. Slit them lengthways but ensure that you do not go right through the Okra. The slit is to open it up for filling, apply a mixture of salt & the turmeric powder inside. Set aside for a bit whilst you prep the other ingredients.
3. Toast the three seeds gently in a small frying pan until aromatic, cool so that they get crisp and then crush in a mortar to a bread crumb consistency.
4. Blend all the other ingredients together and season lightly.
5. Stuff the bhindi’s until they are well swollen but do not let them tear.
6. Sauté them in a heavy bottomed pan with as little oil as you can permit each time. The oil must coat the bottom of the pan.
7. Sauté them until golden brown and serve sprinkled with any remaining stuffing or you may like to make some for the garnish, or use it with something else like a potato cake for example.
8. Served with thick yoghurt ** it makes a lovely accompaniment or starter.
9. Alternatively, you can apply oil on the Okras and place them in the oven to bake at a 150*Celsius for fifteen to twenty minutes and then serve.

(*) – This dish will contain the  CRUSTACEAN ALLERGEN if shrimp is used.

(**) – This dish will contain the DAIRY ALLERGEN if yoghurt is used

Allergens in this dish indicated by the Box (es) Marked ‘x’