Indian Spiced Stuffed Okra | Bharwa Bhindi

Indian Spiced Stuffed Okra is a lip smacking entree dish, with a dramatic combination of spices and ground peanuts filled delicately into fresh slit okra. Cooked to a delightful crispness and garnished with chopped cilantro, this dish is best served with hot rotis or Indian flat bread.

Stuffed Okra never fails to be a mealtime pleaser, and your family will love you for serving this up. With a little initial prep, this dish will be ready in under 15 minutes, just as you are setting up your dinner table.

Visually brilliant and incredibly high on flavors, this is my favorite version of the very versatile okra or bhindi as we call it in India. Okra is one of the most loved vegetables and amongst all the popular Indian okra recipes, stuffed or bharwa bhindi and bhindi masala top the list. Other popular okra entree dishes are dahi bhindi (pan fried okra in a creamy yogurt gravy), tawa bhindi (sautéed okra with onions and tomatoes) and kurkuri bhindi (crisp fried spiced okra). Watch this space for more okra recipes in the coming months.

Vegan Diet Food Pro Tips on how to cook the perfect okra:

• Wash the okra first, and then dry them really well before you start cutting them. 
• Use a clean dry cutting board and knife. If you notice the knife getting sticky, clean with a kitchen towel.
• If the okra is long, cut it into half after making the vertical slits. This makes it easy to sauté, and also easier for kids to scoop up with fresh rotis in every bite.  
• Add the stuffed okra pieces to the pan, sauté slightly and allow to cook over low heat. Do not over stir, as stirring frequently may make the dish sticky. Note: A non-stick frying pan works really well for this recipe.
• Cover the pan while cooking, as this will speed up the cooking time. However, for sliced okra recipes I recommend cooking uncovered.