Bharwa Bhindi is a delicious sabji and is also known as Bharela Bhinda or Bhinda Sambharia. Fresh and tender okra are stuffed with a flavourful Gujarati style aromatic masala. Naturally vegan and gluten-free.
Table of contents
Whenever my Mum made the trip to the Indian grocery store, she would without fail get okra. If they looked fresh, she always bought a batch. That very same evening, we would have a meal with bhinda as the main, whether its this bharwa bhindi, gujarati style bhinda nu shaak or bhindi bhaji.
It is almost always served with gujarati dal, boiled basmati rice and gujarati rotli for a healthy, well balanced meal.
Bharela bhinda is made by stuffing whole okra in a tangy masala. The okra are then cooked in the pan simply with oil and cumin seeds until tender.
The trick to nailing this recipe is to use the freshest bhinda and to cook the okra well.
Okra need to be washed and then dried thoroughly before cutting into. Cooking okra with moisture leads to slimy okra so it is best to either let them air dry or thoroughly wipe individually with a clean kitchen towel.
The stuffing also plays a large part in the success of this recipe as that is where all the flavour comes from. Freshly prepared masala is best. You can also use this masala to make bharela ravaiya or bharwa karela.
Ingredients notes
Okra - available in Indian grocery stores and some supermarkets. Always look for okra that are bright green and plump. Bhinda that are discolouring, sinking in and softening are old. As this is a stuffed recipe, you cannot use frozen okra.
Bharwan masala - the stuffing masala is made from coconut, coriander and indian spices.
Oil
Cumin seeds and mustard seeds or either
Hing - optional
Serving suggestion
Bharwa bhindi is a dry curry, or sabzi, so is best paired with a dal. There are many dal recipes that would work well such as Gujarati dal or Masoor dal.
Flatbreads like wholemeal chapati, mag ni chutti dal and gujarati kadhi go best with okra recipes and the curry can be part of your Gujarati thali.
Storage
Store leftover bharela bhinda in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat in the microwave or stovetop.
I do not recommend freezing this recipe as the okra will loose their texture.
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š Recipe
Bharwa Bhindi (Bharela Bhinda)
Ingredients
- 500 grams okra
- 10-12 tablespoon bharwa masala stuffing
- 4 tablespoon oil
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds and cumin seeds
- pinch hing
- 1 teaspoon salt
Garnish
- 2 tablespoon coriander leaves
Instructions
- Thoroughly wash and pat dry okra.
- Cut off the top of the okra and tail, slit to open one side.
- Combine everything in the bowl for the stuffing.
- Fill the prepared stuffing masala in to slit okra and leave it aside.
- Heat oil in a kadai, and add mustard and cumin seeds.
- Once they crackle, add hing.
- Now arrange stuffed okra into kadai, add a little salt and leftover stuffing.
- Cook stuffed okra on a medium to low heat without covering the kadai.
- It will take about 8-10 minutes to cook the okra.
- In between gently stir the sabji.
- Once done, switch off the heat and sprinkle freshly chopped coriander.
Video
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
Share on Facebook Pin This Recipe Share by TextNote ā This recipe has been updated from our recipe archives with new images and content, but the recipe remains the same. First published in July 2016.
Hayley Dhanecha says
Bharela bhinda is a regular on our dinner table. The spiced coconut stuffing is absolutely packed with flavour.
Megan Marlowe says
I must admit, I have never had okra but your recipe is making me want to change my mind!
Peter Block says
I know it is a lot of work to stuff all the okra but you have made it look so worth it. That masala spice looks like it has a robust flavor.
jcookingodyssey says
Thank you Peter š
April J Harris says
What a wonderful way to serve okra! I've had okra once or twice and enjoyed it but I know I would love it in this dish! It looks really colourful, fresh and wholesome.
jcookingodyssey says
Thank you April š
Priya Shiva says
I love okra! these cripsy bhindis are so tempting!
jcookingodyssey says
Thank you š
kylee says
Wow, this looks gorgeous! Beautiful colors and flavors in this dish.
jcookingodyssey says
Thank you š