CELEBRITY MASTER CHEF DR KAVIRAJ KHIALANI
Lady’s fingers also known as Bhindi in our local culinary terms is one of the most commonly used vegetables in our daily cooking, easy to make, simple to adapt to and healthy as well. It is also known as Okra as a part of the western cuisines.
Bhindi as to Indian kitchens is like one vegetable which most of us have once in a week or so and yet its varieties are numerous and the variations are extremely exotic too. I remember having a lady’s finger soup in one of my experiences with international cuisines and believe me it was simply out of the world, we usually have it in an onion tomato masala or just simply with onion and spices at times or just normal tadke wali bhindi as well.
It is also called as Okra and Gumbo as well in the world cuisine and it has found its way into salads, stir fries, soups, side dishes, main course curries, stews, baked dishes, not to forget a few of my favorites like kurkuri bhindi, bhindi do pyaaza, hare masale wali bhindi, bhindi in dahi gravy, bhindi aur aloo ka bhujiya etc.
Here are a few recipes with lady’s fingers with a little twist of taste for all of you to try:
GUMBO FRIED RICE
Ingredients
Boiled white rice- 2 cups cooked
Lady’s fingers/bhindi- 150 gms cut into pieces
Oil- 2 tbsp.
Garlic- 1 tsp chopped
Ginger – 1 tsp chopped
Green chilies- 2 no slit
Onion-1 small chop.
Schezuan sauce- 1 tbsp.
Salt and pepper to taste
Tomato ketchup- 1 tbsp.
Soy sauce- 1 tsp
Red and green chili sauce- 1 tsp each
Assorted mix veggies- carrots/beans/peas/ potatoes- any of your choice to be cut into small pieces and blanched/boiled.
Coriander leaves- 2 tsp chopped
Roasted/fried peanuts/cashews- 2 tbsp.
Method
- prepare the rice and keep aside.
- Heat oil in a pan/wok saute the ginger, garlic, chilies, onion and saute for 15 seconds.
- Add in the veggies of your choice and cut ladyfinger pieces and add salt, pepper saute well for a minute.
- Cover and simmer for 4-6 mins, allowing veggies to cook in steam, add in the sauces, little water, and allow to cook for more 2-3 mins in steam. [ if desired we can fry the ladyfingers as well and then add them to the rice for crispy texture]
- Finally add in the cooked rice, toss well and check for salt.
- Garnish with fried nuts, coriander and serve hot.
For Non-Veg: add boiled cubed eggs/ boiled cubes of chicken/ sliced chicken sausages/ also try adding baked beans/ cubes of paneer/tofu.
SAUNFIYA BHINDI ALOO
Ingredients
Bhindi- 200gms cut into medium pieces
Potato- 150gms cut into cubes.
Oil/ghee- 2 tbsp.
Hing- 1 pinch
Jeera- 1 tsp
Curry leaves- 6- 8 no
Slit green chilies- 2-3
Onion- 1 large chop
Roasted crushed saunf- 1 tsp
Chaat masala- ½ tsp/aamchur powder- ½ tsp
Lime juice- 1 tsp
Coriander leaves- 1 tbsp. chop
Method
- Prepare the bhindi and aloo cut into pieces.
- Heat oil or ghee in a pan, add in the hing and all the ingredients one by one, saute onions till light pink.
- Add in the aloo and bhindi and mix well, cover and simmer for 6-8 mins.
- Now add in the masalas, saunf and salt to taste, mix well cook for another 4-6 mins until well done.
- Finally add in the aamchur/lime juice and coriander leaves and serve hot with phulkas, rotis.
LADY’S FINGER RELISH WITH FETA CHEESE
Ingredients
Lady’s fingers- 150 gms cut into pieces
Lettuce leaves- 1 cup
Tomatoes-1/2 cup no seeds
Capsicums-1/4 cup cubes
Shallots/onions- ¼ cup sliced
Cucumber- 1 small cubes
Lime juice- 2 tbsp.
Chaat masala-1/2 cup
Mint leaves- 10-12 no
Schezuan chutney- 1 tbsp.
Coriander leaves- 1 tbsp.
Bread croutons/cubes of fried/toasted bread- ½ cup
Feta cheese/ regular cubes of processed cheese- 100 gms
To saute the Lady’s fingers
Oil- 1 tbsp.
Garlic- 1 tsp chop
Salt and pepper to taste
Herbs and chili flakes to taste
Method
- Prepare all the ingredients for the relish salad, cook the ladyfingers separately first as given above for 10-12 mins on low flame.
- In a mixing bowl combine all the ingredients well and toss the salad together with the saute and cooked ladyfinger pieces.
- Add the bread croutons/cubes and arrange it on a serving dish on a bed of crispy lettuce leaves, garnish with some olives/cherry tomatoes/ feta cheese and serve immediately.
ASIAN OKRA TOMATO VEG BROTH
Ingredients:
Okra/ladyfingers- 150 gms cut into pieces
Olive oil/ oil- 2 tsp
Garlic- 1 tsp chop
Onion- 1 small chop
Carrot- 2 inch. piece cubes
Potato/sweet potato- 1 small cubes
Capsicum- ½ cubes
Green peas-1/4 cup boiled
Tomato puree- 1 cup fresh/tin
Salt and black pepper to taste
Paneer/tofu- 50 gms cubes
Parsley/basil/coriander leaves- 2 tbsp.
Water/veg stock- 2-3 cups
Method
- Prepare the ingredients for the soup.
- Heat oil saute garlic, onion add in the tough vegetables initially add seasonings, puree, herbs and chili flakes/spices as desired.
- Add in the veg stock/water and bring to a boil, simmer for 10 mins, add in the capsicums, lady’s fingers and continue cooking for 10-12 mins more.
- Serve hot garnished with fresh coriander/basil leaves.
Celebrity Master Chef Dr Kaviraj Khialani is a Mumbai-based hotel-restaurant and food consultant. He is specialised in over 33 international cuisines and has quality experience with hotels and airlines as a part of his long journey of over two decades in his chosen field. Chef Kaviraj is a renowned author, academician, food designer, writer and has also been awarded several national awards and global recognitions for his talent & outstanding achievements. Besides having been featured on several food shows on ColorsTV and Star Plus he is a mentor, coach and guide to aspiring to be future chefs and hoteliers of tomorrow.
He can be contacted at twitter: @kaviraj_chef, Mobile: 91 9820939336. Mail: chefkaviraj249@gmail.com
