Stuffed masala bhindi, also known as stuffed okra or lady fingers, is a flavorful way to prepare okra with a spiced masala filling. In this recipe, the filling is made from red onions, ginger, garlic, green chilies, coriander, cumin, black pepper, amchur, and sattu.
The masala is cooked just enough to remove the raw smell of the garlic and ginger. It is then cooled and stuffed by hand into about 20 okra.
The stuffed okra is cooked with sliced yellow onions, jaggery or sugar, and salt. The okra is first covered briefly to begin cooking, then cooked uncovered over medium heat until everything becomes browned and delicious.
Ingredients
- 2 red onions
- 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger
- 3 or 4 cloves garlic
- 2 green chilies, optional
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- About 20 okra or lady fingers
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- Salt, to taste
- Amchur or mango powder
- 2 tablespoons sattu, roasted besan or roasted chickpea flour
- 1 yellow onion
- 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon jaggery or sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
- Coriander, for serving
- Sliced tomatoes, for serving
Prepare the Masala
Start with the 2 red onions, the thumb-sized piece of ginger, 3 or 4 cloves of garlic, and 2 green chilies if you are using them.
Grind these ingredients together to make a paste.
Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a saucepan and add the ground paste.
Cook the paste until the raw smell of the garlic and ginger has dissipated. You are not trying to roast or brown the mixture at this point. The goal is simply to cook out the raw smell.
Add 1 teaspoon of coriander, 1 teaspoon of cumin, 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper, and salt to taste.
Add some amchur, or mango powder, and mix everything together.
Let the masala cook. It should remain thick and pasty rather than becoming browned.
Add the Sattu
Once the masala has cooked, add 2 tablespoons of sattu.
Sattu is roasted besan, or roasted chickpea flour. It helps bind the masala together and adds some protein and more nutrients.
Mix the sattu into the masala and let everything cook together.
Once the masala is ready, set it aside and allow it to cool.
Prepare the Okra
While the masala is cooling, prepare about 20 okra, also called lady fingers.
Cut off the tops of the okra and slice down the center.
Once the masala has cooled, use your hands to insert the masala into the center of each okra.
Continue stuffing the okra until all of them are filled.
Prepare the Onions
Slice 1 yellow onion.
Use the same pan in which you cooked the masala.
Add about 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Olive oil was used in the recipe, although a neutral oil can also be used.
Add the sliced yellow onion to the pan.
Add 1 teaspoon of jaggery or sugar. The jaggery or sugar adds a little flavor that contrasts with the spiciness of the masala. The sweetness is not meant to be noticeable in the finished dish.
Add 2 teaspoons of salt.
Let the onions cook until they begin to brown and caramelize.
Cook the Stuffed Bhindi
When the onions are a little brown, start adding the stuffed okra to the pan.
Place the stuffed okra individually in the pan rather than piling them on top of one another. They need a little breathing room while they cook.
This is important because if the okra are piled together, they can steam instead of cooking properly. The result can be a sludgy and slimy texture, which you want to avoid.
Once the stuffed okra are arranged in the pan, cover it and let them cook for about 5 minutes. This gets the cooking process started.
After about 5 minutes, uncover the pan.
Gently stir the okra. Be very careful while doing this because you do not want to make the stuffed okra mushy or cause the filling to spill out.
Continue cooking uncovered over medium heat for another 10 to 20 minutes.
This is when the okra, onions, and masala become browned and delicious.
If you have any extra masala left over from stuffing the okra, add it to the pan as well.
How to Serve Stuffed Masala Bhindi
Once the stuffed okra has finished cooking, serve it with coriander and sliced tomatoes.
The finished dish has browned okra, caramelized onions, and the spiced masala filling.
Stuffed Masala Bhindi
Stuffed masala bhindi takes a little preparation, but each part of the process contributes to the final dish.
The red onion, ginger, garlic, and green chili paste creates the base of the masala. Coriander, cumin, black pepper, salt, and amchur add the spices and seasoning, while sattu helps bind the mixture together.
After the masala cools, it is stuffed into the prepared okra by hand. The stuffed okra then cooks with sliced yellow onions, jaggery or sugar, and salt.
The first few minutes are covered cooking, followed by 10 to 20 minutes uncovered over medium heat. This allows the okra and onions to become browned and delicious.
Serve the finished stuffed masala bhindi with coriander and sliced tomatoes.
Watch the Full Recipe Video
Want to see every step of this recipe in action? Watch the complete video tutorial on our YouTube channel, where you’ll see exactly how to prepare the masala, stuff the okra, arrange it in the pan, and cook it until beautifully browned and delicious.
📺 The full step-by-step video is available below. Simply press play and cook along with us!
👇 Watch the complete recipe here:
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