EVENT: A- Z RECIPE CHALLENGE
THEME : AN INGREDIENT BEGINNING WITH THE LETTER Y
RECIPE: DAHI BHINDI/OKRA YOGURT CURRY
Dahi Bhindi/Okra Yogurt Curry is creamy, slightly spicy and tangy curry that goes well with any Indian Flatbread like roti, paratha, naan or rice. An easy curry to prepare, it is a different way to enjoy okra or bhindi from the usual dry preparation.
What is Okra?
Okra also goes by the name lady’s fingers or gumbo. It is a flowering plant and okra is the edible seed pod of the plant. Did you know that it belongs to the same family as hibiscus and cotton? Popularly known as bhindi or bhinda in India, it is a favorite of many, young and old. Raw okra can be slimy but on cooking it disappears especially when cooked with an acidic ingredient like lemon, yogurt, vinegar, etc.
What is Yogurt?
Yogurt is basically a fermented dairy product. Bacterial fermentation of milk results into yogurt. Interestingly, the word yogurt comes from Turkey which refers to thick tart milk. However, yogurt did not sort of originate from there. In fact many cultures world over kept animals for milk which when left I containers would turn to yogurt.
Yogurt Based Dishes
My family love yogurt. In fact every day we tend to either have a glass of salty lassi or yogurt. So no doubt I have several recipes that include yogurt. In fact, yogurt is a rich source of calcium and protein. Also the bacteria present in yogurt are very good for the digestive system. However, sweetened yogurt is not too healthy if consumed on a daily basis.
- A family favorite, Yogurt Potato Curry
- Enjoy Sorekai Majjige Huli / Bottle Gourd in Coconut Yogurt Curry with some rice.
- Turmeric Yogurt Dressing – a delicious, refreshing dressing for most salads
- Yogurt Roti turn out so soft that I love using them as wraps/khatti rolls.
- Filling and delicious breakfast – Mango Yogurt Smoothie
- I love Yogurt and Muesli Parfait for breakfast
- Chilled Cucumber and Yogurt Soup is a perfect cold soup for summer
- A mousse with a difference – Rose and Saffron Yogurt Mousse
- Madra is a chickpea curry with yogurt – goes so well with paratha, roti or rice.
- Fruit and Nut Yogurt Parfait makes a healthy dessert or enjoy it for breakfast
- Strawberry Frozen Yogurt – a cooling and refreshing summer time dessert
- Baigan Raita – an eggplant yogurt salad to enjoy on its own or as a part of a main meal
- Kadhi – A traditional Gujarati curry that is made from yogurt. Usually enjoyed as a part of a main meal with roti and rice.
- Shrikhand – famous Gujarati dessert that is made from plain thick yogurt.
A bit about the group
A – Z Recipe Challenge group started by fellow bloggers Vidya and Jolly, is themed based. This month we have to use any ingredient whose English name begins with the letter Y. Not a wide choice of ingredients but still manageable with ingredients like yogurt, yam, yucca, yardlong beans, yeast, yolk, etc. I decided to use my favorite, yogurt.
I had thought of preparing a Mhogo Chaat, mhogo is the Kiswahili name for cassava or yucca. However, I guess that recipe will have to wait till I get some fresh yucca.
What Do You Serve With Dahi Bhindi/Okra Yogurt Curry?
It goes really well with roti, phulka, parathas or naan. However, can by all means serve it with some rice too.
Ingredients Required For Dahi Bhindi/Okra Yogurt Curry:
- Fresh Okra – Lady’s Fingers, bhindi or bhinda. Make sure they are tender. Best way to check is try and snap off the tail with your thumb. If it snaps off easily then the okra is tender. If it doesn’t and appears woody, don’t use those as they will not cook well. When you wash the okra it is important to dry them with a kitchen towel. Wet okra becomes too slimy.
- Plain Yogurt – homemade or ready made.
- Oil – any vegetable oil of your choice
- Chickpea Flour – besan, chana flour.
- Salt – add according to your taste
- Onion – peeled and finely chopped. Can use red, white or yellow onion.
- Fresh Ginger – minced or paste
- Green Chillis – in paste form or finely chopped
- Fresh Garlic – peeled and finely chopped or paste
- Curry Leaves – kari patta, limdi.
- Fenugreek Seeds – methi dana
- Mustard Seeds – rai
- Cumin Seeds – jeera, jiru
- Coriander Powder – dhania powder
- Turmeric Powder – haldi, hardar
- Kasuri Methi – dried fenugreek leaves
- Garam Masala – if you don’t have any, just add about ½ tsp cinnamon powder and ¼ tsp clove powder
- Fresh Coriander – chopped
Dietary Tips:
- Gluten Free
- For a vegan version replace dairy yogurt with vegan yogurt.
Dahi Bhindi/Okra Yogurt Curry
Ingredients
- 250 g okra, bhindi
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- 1 cup onion finely chopped
- 1 -1½ tsp salt
- 3 tbsp oil
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- 6-8 fenugreek seeds
- ½ tsp mustard seeds
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp ginger paste
- 1 tsp green chilli paste
- 1 tsp ginger paste
- 2 tbsp chickpea flour, besan
- 1-2 dry red chillis whole
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 1 tbsp kasuri methi
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- ¼ tsp garam masala
- 2-3 tbsp fresh coriander chopped
Instructions
- PREPARE THE OKRA/ BHINDI
- Wash and wipe the okra with a kitchen towel.
- Trim the ends.
- Cut the okra into pieces about 1-1½ inch long.
STIR FRY THE OKRA/BHINDI
- Heat 2 tbsp of oil from the measured amount in a wide pan over medium heat.
- When it becomes hot, add the chopped okra/ bhindi.
- Sprinkle some salt from the measured amount, but not too much.
- Add sprinkle a generous pinch of the turmeric powder from the measured amount.
- Stir fry the okra/bhindi for 5 minutes.
- Remove the okra/bhindi from the pan using a slotted spoon and keep on the side till required.
PREPARATION OF THE DAHI BHINDI/OKRA YOGURT CURRY:
- Add the remaining oil in the wide pan. Heat it over medium heat.
- When the oil is hot, add fenugreek seeds first. Then add mustard seeds and cumin seeds.
- Add the curry leaves and dried red chillis.Mix well.
- Add chopped onion. Stir fry till they become soft.
- Lower the heat. Add chickpea flour/ besan. Stir fry till it becomes light pink in colour.
- Add garlic paste, and stir fry for a minute. Add ginger and green chilli pastes and stir fry for 30 seconds or so.
- Add kasuri methi, salt and turmeric powder. Mix well.
- Add yogurt and keep stirring constantly till the curry begins to thicken.
- Add coriander powder and garam masala. Mix well.
- Add the stir fried okra/bhindi. Mix well.
- Allow the curry to cook over low heat till the okra/bhindi gets cooked. It should not be too soft and mushy. Should have a bite to it but must not be raw.
- Garnish with chopped coriander and serve hot with roti, paratha, phulka, naan or rice.
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