Okra Curry (Bhindi Masala)

I absolutely love curry, and out of all the curries in the world, Bhindi Masala is one of my absolute favourites.

When we were living in Fiji, an Indo-Fijian work colleague of mine invited me to her house one day so she could teach me how to make a range of delicious curries. It was a real eye-opener for me. I learned how a delicate balance of spices can completely change the flavour of a dish and how timing is so important. From then on, Bhindi Masala became a regular meal fixture in our home and I've never grown tired of it.

Bhindi Masala is delicious eaten alone with rice or roti, but I usually like to serve it alongside a simple potato, pea and eggplant curry, as well as homemade tomato chutney, for a really satisfying Indian feast!

Okra is loaded with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, so it’s a great vegetable to incorporate into your diet. Next time you pass by these little green fingers in the supermarket aisle, go ahead and buy some…you won’t be disappointed!

To start:

Wash and dry 3 cups of okra

Remove the tip and stalk and chop into 2cm pieces

Fry in 2 tbsp of canola oil over a low heat, stirring continuously, until soft

In a different pan, add 1tbsp of oil and fry:

1 diced medium brown onion

When the onion is translucent, add:

A 3cm block of ginger, peeled and minced

Half a bulb of garlic, peeled and minced

Fry for a minute or two, before adding:

2 medium tomatoes, diced

1tsp of sea salt

When the tomatoes have completely softened, add the following spices:

1 tsp coriander powder

¼ tsp chilli powder

½ tsp turmeric powder

½ teaspoon garam masala powder

Then:

Add the cooked okra to the mix and stir well

Cook for two more minutes so the flavours combine well, then serve

Enjoy!