Dahi Bhindi - Okra in Yogurt Gravy

Bhindi or okra is very popular vegetable among Indians and there are varieties of preparation with this vegetable. Dahi Bhindi or Okra in yogurt gravy is a popular recipe among North as well as South Indians. I have learned it from one of my neighbor from Bihar. I modified it little bit to suite my taste and style. The recipe is a balance of healthy and spicy one. Please check it out :-

Preparation Time: - 20 min

Cooking Time: - 35 min

Servings: - 2 persons

Ingredients:-

1. 200 gm Bhindi / Okra
2. 1 big or 2 small Onion chopped
3. 1 tbsp Ginger Garlic paste
4. ½ cup Curd / Yogurt
5. 1 tsp Cumin seeds
6. 1½ tsp Cumin (Jeera) powder
7. 1 tsp Coriander powder
8. 1 tsp Garam Masala ( Bengali five spices )
9. 1 tbsp. Bason ( Gram Flour)
10. 2 slited green chili
11. 2 tsp Kashmiri Red chili powder (you can use more as per your taste)
12. 1 tsp Turmeric powder
13. Pinch of Asafetida (Hing)
14. Sugar (optional) and Salt to taste
15. 4~5 tbsp Vegetable Oil ( I used Sunflower Oil )

Preparation:-

1. Wash the Bhindi and pat dry the same. The seeds of Okra / Bhindi has a lot of uric acid and hence some people especially elder people may not like that. For them we can remove the seeds from bhindi by cutting the tips of it and then slitting vertically like the following pics show. This also reduces the slipperiness of it. I prefer it this way but if you like the seeds to be present then you can cut from both sides and create 1 inch long pieces.
   
2. Chop the onion in small pieces.
3. Take a small frying pan and stir fry the Beson about 1 min until it has light aroma and in golden brown in colour. Beson makes the gravy thick when cooking.Keep aside.
4. If you use Ginger and garlic paste from fresh ginger and garlic then make a paste now and keep aside.
5. Whisk the curd and add garam masala. You can add little bit of sugar if you want.
6. Take a non-stick deep frying pan / kadai and heat 3 tbsp oil.
7. When the oil starts smoking, shallow fry the Okra / Bhindi with a pinch of turmeric powder and salt. Keep aside.
8. Use the same kadai / pan and again heat the remaining oil and once heated add cumin seeds and one slitted green chilli.
9. When it started crackling add asafetida first and then onion. Sauté till the raw smell of onion disappears and the onion turns golden brown. Sprinkle water if it gets stuck in the bottom. Keep stirring so that onion does not get burned and the taste becomes bitter.
10. Then add ginger garlic paste and cook till the oil gets separated at the edge.
11. Add cumin, coriander, Kasmiri Chili and turmeric powder to the mixture. Stir and cook for some time.
12. Add the beaten curd now and cook for 2~3 min. You will see the oil leaving the sides of spice mix.
13. Add ½ cup of water and bring the spice mixture to boil.
14. Now put the already fried Bhindi and mix well.
15. Cook at low heat for 5 min. It might take more time if your Okra is hard.
16. You can cook more to adjust the gravy to your liking.
17. Adjust the salt level now by adding as per your taste.
    

Turn off the burner and your delicious dish is ready to serve. Garnish with another slitted green chili and serve with steamed rice or any Indian fried rice or Indian flat bread like Roti, Paratha, Puri.

Please note that you can add ½ - 1 tsp of Kasoori Methi to make this taste like a Punjabi preparation.

As always please feel free to comment, criticize and seek if any help is required. I am all ears.

Pomfret Kalia - A bengali sea fish spicy curry

Bengalis are known for their varieties of Fish preparation. There are several names for different type of preparation. The most spicy one among them is called Kalia. Generally it is prepared with sweet water fishes like Rohu and Katla but I decided to prepare the same preparation with a healthy sea fish – Pomfret. The recipe is a balance of healthy and spicy one. Please check it out :-

Preparation Time: - 30 min

Cooking Time: - 35 min

Servings: - 2 persons

Ingredients:- 

1. 2 large pieces of Pomfret fish ( approx. 200 gm)
   
2. 1 medium Onion chopped
3. 1 medium Tomato
4. 2 slited green chili
5. 2 bay leaves
6. 1 inch Cinnamon stick
7. 4 cloves
8. 2 pc. Cardamom
9. 1 tsp Ginger paste
10. 1 ½ tsp Garlic paste
11. 1 tsp Kashmiri Red chili powder (you can use more as per your taste)
12. 2 tsp Turmeric powder
13. 1½ tsp Cumin (Jeera) powder
14. ½ tsp Coriander powder
15. 1 Handful chopped coriander leaves
16. Sugar and Salt to taste
17. 5 tbsp Vegetable Oil ( I used Sunflower Oil )

Preparation:-

1. Wash the Pomfret pieces in warm water thoroughly, pat dry and rub with turmeric powder and salt. Keep it marinated for 30 minutes.
   
2. Chop the tomato and onion in small pieces. Grind the onion to form a smooth paste.
3. Take a non-stick deep frying pan / kadai and heat the oil.
4. When the oil starts smoking, shallow fry the fish and keep aside.
   
   
   
   
5. Now take a different kadai or wash the same one.
   
6. Again heat oil and once heated temper with bay leaves, green chilli, cinnamon sticks, cloves and cardamom. I used cardamom powder and hence I put it at the end.
   
7. Add a little sugar while frying as it adds a brown colour (due to carmalization)
8. When spices start spluttering add the onion paste.
   
9. Sauté till the raw smell of onion disappears and the onion turns golden brown. Keep stirring so that onion does not get burned and the taste becomes bitter.
10. Add ginger and garlic paste to the mixture and keep stirring.
11. Now put the chopped tomatoes and keep cooking till the oil separates from the mixture.
    
12. Now mix the remaining spices ( 1 tsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp Kashmiri Chili powder, 1 ½ tsp cumin powder and ½ tsp coriander powder ) with little bit of water.
    
13. Pour this spice mixture onto the kadai.
14. Stir continuously till the water evaporates. Adjust the salt level now by adding as per your taste.
15. Add ¾ cup of warm water and bring to boil.
    
16. Put the already fried fish and continue cooking for 3~4 minutes. Turn off the burner.
17. Add Ghee and garam masala. Mix it well.

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and a vertically slit green chili. Your yummy side dish is now ready for serving.

Serve this hot with steamed rice.

As always please feel free to comment, criticize and seek if any help is required. I am all ears.