Bharwan Bhindi/ Stuffed Okra

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     Bhindi / Okra stuffed gets cleaned off plates easily, around here.  The stuffed okra recipe is simple, but time consuming because it's cooked on low heat.   You can use store-bought masala to stuff the okra or home-made.  Since I seldom buy store bought masala, I have something you can put together at home with out a branded sambar or chana masala powder.



    The key to making this dish is to make sure the stuffing is well cooked.  Since the okra tends to brown easily it's challenging, however, cooking on low heat helps.



Look who was visiting this morning! He is always around, digging holes in my planters.




Ingredients:
Okra       - 30 nos washed and dried; the head chopped off
Onions    - 1
Tomato   - 1
Cummin - 1/2 tspn
Coriander Powder - 1 Tbspn
Chili Powder   - 1 Tbspn (if you want it milder use less)
Asafoetida - 1/8th tspn
Fenugreek Powder - 1/4 tspn
Turmeric - 1/2 tspn
Besan (Chickpea flour) - 1 tspn
Aamchoor/ (Dry Mango Powder) - 1/2 tspn
Oil - 1 Tbspn

Method:
1. Dry toast all the powders on low heat and with little water make a paste
2. Slit the okra on one side and stuff the masala
4. Heat the pan and add 1 Tbspn oil 
5. Arrange the okra with the open-stuffed side facing up
6. Keep the heat at the lowest and cook the okra covered for 10 minutes checking in between to make sure the bottom is not burning
7. Gently toss without displacing the masala or turning the okra fully for another 5 minutes or so
8. The color should change from the bright green of the vegetable to a more cooked dull green
9. Turn around all the orka now and cook again for 5 minutes toss a little and continue cooking
10.  Make sure the masala does not burn
11. Once the okra is cooked, add onions and fry for a few minutes followed by tomato like I have done today or if you want the onions and tomatoes to be crispy
12. Take the okra out, heat 1/2 tbspn oil and add cummin seeds and splutter followed by onions and stir fry on high for a minute
13. Add chopped tomatoes and fry on high to brown the edges but keeping the shape
14. Toss this over the fried stuff okra and squeeze about 1/4 of  a lemon and serve


Notes:  You can serve this dish with roti's or rice.
2. I added the cumin seeds with the powder and finished off with step 11 when I cooked today.