Bhindi do Pyaza (Ladyfinger & Onion Veg)

There’s no denying, summers are here. There is a little nip in the bud left in the mornings now and I am already dreading those horrid hot days ahead. I have spent my childhood in a super green township in Madhya Pradesh where the weather was pleasant. It wouldn’t get as hot as it gets in Delhi.

I used to love summers as a child because we would look forward to the 2-month long summer vacations in school and the opportunity to go out and play the whole day and drink Rasna and Roohafza. But because of the terrible long summer months in Delhi, I have somehow started hating summer and loving winters instead.

Now the only thing I look forward to during summers is my mangoes, melons and probably Bhindi aka Okra/Ladyfingers. Yes, I got it right. I am a big fan of Ladyfingers, love it. There are so many variations to this lovely veggie and today I am sharing a recipe for a lovely Bhindi do pyaza.

Bhindi do pyaza is a restaurant-style sabzi made with long thinly slit ladyfingers/bhindi made with twice the quantity of onions. The only thing that I change is making it healthier with lesser oil. Isn’t that fantastic? The best thing is that this recipe used barely 10 ingredients and also gets ready in 10-15 minutes.

PREPARATION TIME: 15 minutes
COOKING TIME: 15 minutes
SERVINGS: 3-4
DIFFICULTY SCALE: Low

INGREDIENTS:  

1. Ladyfingers/bhindi – 250gms
2. Onion – 2, large
3. Green chilli – 2
4. Lemon juice – 1 tablespoon
5. Turmeric powder – 1 teaspoon
6. Red chilli powder – ½ teaspoon
7. Coriander powder – 1 tablespoon
8. Asafetida – a pinch
9. Mustard oil – 2-3 tablespoons
10. Salt – to taste

RECIPE:

1. Wash the ladyfingers thoroughly and keep them in a colander to dry, for about 30 minutes.
2. Now take a kitchen towel or napkin to wipe the ladyfingers clean.
3. Remove the upper stalk and a little bit of the pointed thin part of the other side.
4. Slit the ladyfingers into half.

4. Take a non-stick pan and add 1 tablespoon of mustard oil.
5. Once the oil heats up, add the slit ladyfingers in it.
6. Sauté them for 4-5 minutes on medium heat until they are half cooked.

7. Remove the ladyfingers from the pan and add some more oil.
8. Add some cumin seeds and allow them to crackle.
9. Slice the onion into thin and long slices and add those to the pan.
10. Slit two green chillies and add them as well.
11. Let the onions turn brown which would take about 2-3 minutes.
12. Now add red chilli powder, coriander powder and turmeric.
13. Mix well and add the half-cooked ladyfingers.

14. Keep moving them in the pan using a wooden spatula.
15. The ladyfingers would take about 7-8 minutes to cook. Once they are done, add salt and mix well. Cover the lid of the pan and let it rest for about 5-7 minutes.
16. Squeeze some lemon juice before serving.

Don’t forget to check out my other two summer favorite veggie recipes:

1. Lauki ke kofte
2. Malai Karela

Hope you love them and they become a regular at your household too.