Bhindi Masala

Ingredients

• 500 g okra
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 1/2 tsp amchur (dried mango powder)
• 2 green chillies, slit
• a handful of coriander

Method

1. Wash and dry it completely

   Wash the okra, then dry every pod thoroughly with a cloth — ideally an hour ahead. Water is what makes okra slimy, so it must be bone dry before it is cut, and it must be cut only once dry.

   30 min

2. Fry it separately first

   Slice into 2 cm lengths and fry in 2 tbsp of the oil over a high heat, without stirring much, until the edges are browned and the sliminess has cooked off. Then lift it out. This step exists solely to deal with the mucilage, and skipping it ruins the dish.

   10 min

3. Build the masala

   In the rest of the oil, pop the cumin seeds, then add the onion and chillies and cook until golden.

   8 min

4. Tomatoes and ground spices

   Add the turmeric, ground coriander and tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes break down and the oil separates out at the edges.

   8 min

5. Return the okra

   Fold the fried okra back in gently with the amchur and salt, and warm through for two minutes. Stir as little as possible now — vigorous stirring breaks the pods and brings the slime straight back.

   2 min