Kurkuri Bhindi, oven baked crispy okra. Light and crispy, this dish is a popular snack or side dish that is often fried. I’m sharing an oven baked version with all the crunch and none of the guilt. Kurkuri Bhindi pairs well with dal chawal or can be enjoyed alone as a snack.
I am a huge fan of bhindi! Growing up my mom would cook it with spices and extra onions: the sweet onions balanced the spicy okra and it became one of my favorite vegetables. When I met my husband he gave me this long list of vegetables he didn’t like, one of them being bhindi. I could not understand why and over time I began to make it less and less. When my daughter started solids I was hopeful that she would like it but no such luck. And so bhindi always became a scene for one at home. Recently when I asked my husband and daughter why they didn’t like it they both mentioned the texture.
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A few months ago I was craving crunchy bhindi so I decided to try my hand at Kurkuri Bhindi in the oven. I had already put them in the oven when I realized I didn’t coat them in any flour. While I was expecting a total disaster, they crisped up quite well and with an extra dash of chaat masala they were just perfect. To my surprise as I was munching on them my daughter came up to me, took one bite and said “yum, tastes like Indian French fries Mumma” and polished off the rest. The next few times I made them my husband would sneak a few here and there commenting how they were surprisingly good. If you know my husband you know this is huge, he never tries things he has already made his mind up about, men!
Since then every time I make these not only does my husband eat them, he enjoys them, takes seconds and is the one to bring them from the grocery store. If I can get a grown man to eat his vegetables, I consider it a huge win, laughing out loud.
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Kurkuri means crispy in Hindi. So kurkuri bhindi just translates to crispy okra. While most Kurkuri bhindi recipes suggest using gram flour, rice flour or corn flour for the crispiness, I find the okra crisps just fine without any of these.
Tips For Making Best Kurkuri Bhindi:
- Choose fresh and tender okra, you can test the freshness of your okra by bending the tip of it, if it snaps it’s fresh.
- Wash and throughly pat dry the okras. You don’t want any extra moisture to remain.
- Slice okra lengthwise and as thinly as possible
- Ensure the oven is fully preheated before you put it in to bake.
- 1 lb Bhindi/Okra (500 grams); cut lengthwise
- 2½ tablespoon oil
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds; coarsely crushed
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon chaat masala
- ¼ teaspoon red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon salt, adjust to taste
- Pre-heat oven to 425 F (218 C)
- Lightly oil a large baking sheet and set aside.
- In a bowl add the cut okra, oil and spices. Toss gently ensuring all the pieces get coated.
- Arrange them in a single layer on the baking sheet.
- Bake for 15 minutes on the middle rack. Remove, flip the okra and bake for 5-7 more minutes. They should be crisp and dark green.
- Remove from heat, sprinkle with more chaat masala and let rest for 2-3 minutes before serving.
Choose fresh and tender okra, you can test the freshness of your okra by bending the tip of it, if it snaps it’s fresh.
Wash and throughly pat dry the okras. You don’t want any extra moisture to remain.
Slice okra lengthwise and as thinly as possible
Ensure the oven is fully preheated before you put it in to bake.
Enjoy!
I do something similar but without the chat masala and I do it on the stove top! That takes forever to get done!! Also, I use way more oil! This is just amazing and I can’t wait to try it out!!! Thanks for sharing! ❤️
So glad you like this quick yet delicious way!
Can’t water to try.
Wonderful recipe. My son loves kurkuri bhindi. And i have tried so many ways to make it but everytime either it is over cooked or soft. This temperature is perfect. Loved it. Thank you for sharing this recipe
You are so welcome glad you enjoyed it
I just made them.. very tasty and easy to make ..
great!
Excited to try this. On a low carb kick that’s about eat lots of veggies so this is perfect. I’ve also been searching for a baked version of okra as well- going to try it in an air fryer to see how it comes out. Thanks for sharing!
All I have is frozen okra. Do you think it will work?
it may become too soft
I just made this last night. And will be making it again! Wonderful use of okra. Next year, I will be asking my husband to plant more okra just so I can have this again.
I followed the directions with the exception of the spices. I preferred adding just salt to the cut okra but followed your recipe mixing the seasonings and oil in a bowl, mixing it well with the cut okra and baking in the oven at the same temp. It was very hard not to eat it all in one serving, it was that good!
Thank you for such a wonderful recipe!