Alu Bhindi has always been one of my favorites. This dry version is similar to something my mother would prepare (but without the more pungent spices and chillies). I skipped the green chillies and other pungent red chili spice and yet it is so flavorful, it is perhaps the quickest and easiest way to enjoy the full flavor of Bhindi on hot summer days or when summer is just setting in.
Here's what you need:
Three quarter of a cup lady finger (washed, dried and chopped in centimeter sized cubes)
Here's what you need:
Three quarter of a cup lady finger (washed, dried and chopped in centimeter sized cubes)
Three quarter of a cup white potato (washed, chopped in centimeter sized cubes and soaked in water)
A Tbsp of sesame seed oil
A Tbsp of fresh ginger chopped in half centimeter sized cubes.
1/2 Tbsp of Whole Panchphoran Seeds (Methi, Jeera, Kalonji, Saunf, Rai in equal quantities).
A pinch of asofoetida (optional).
ED7 Spice Mix and Sendha Namak
Corriander leaves and Lemon
And here's what you do:
Heat a kadai on high flame and add oil, when the oil has heated add the panchphoran seeds and hing as they sizzle. Add ginger, mix and follow up with ED7 Spice Mix after reducing the flame and little.
Drain the soaked potatoes, wash lightly to remove extra starch and quickly add to the kadai. Mix immediately and thoroughly to coat all the potatoes. Cover with a lid. You can cook them without a lid too mixing continuously if the variety of potatoes you are using are not the very astringent ones. Remove plate and add Bhindi and Sendha Namak. Mix and allow to cook (covered but open and stir occasionally to check color) till bhindi is cooked.
Colour is a good indicationof how much more cooking the vegetables need. What you are looking for is a slightly more darker shade of green and a red tinge to the potatoes. Once done, switch off flame and add a few drops of lemon juice.
Serve hot garnished with corriander leaves.
Colour is a good indicationof how much more cooking the vegetables need. What you are looking for is a slightly more darker shade of green and a red tinge to the potatoes. Once done, switch off flame and add a few drops of lemon juice.
Serve hot garnished with corriander leaves.
And now here's why I do what I do:
Bhindi has a wonderful and unique flavour that is said to be somewhat astringent with a cooling effect. It is often recommended for reducing excess Pitta from the body. And despite the astringent taste, Bhindi can also help balance Vata disorders. It is a unique combination of astringent and slimy, that is also cooling so it is best enjoyed when in season during summers and it hardly needs spices. Overall, it is considered tridoshic i.e., it is balancing for all three doshas.
The flavor of bhindi comes alive when it is cooked like this in a dry dish with minimum spices.
Potatoes are generally a bit astringent tasting (specially when cooked like this in oil) but they are also sweeter as they soften. Cooked with the Panchphoran seeds, they provide all the 6 ayurvedic tastes. Dependent on the variety of potatoes used you can adjust the quantity of oil and skip the hing too if need be. As both the Okra (Bhindi) and Potatoes are coolants, I have used sesame seed oil but you can use sunflower oil too if you need to add chillies, garlic and/or other heating spices.
The flavor of bhindi comes alive when it is cooked like this in a dry dish with minimum spices.
Potatoes are generally a bit astringent tasting (specially when cooked like this in oil) but they are also sweeter as they soften. Cooked with the Panchphoran seeds, they provide all the 6 ayurvedic tastes. Dependent on the variety of potatoes used you can adjust the quantity of oil and skip the hing too if need be. As both the Okra (Bhindi) and Potatoes are coolants, I have used sesame seed oil but you can use sunflower oil too if you need to add chillies, garlic and/or other heating spices.
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