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Utter the word Bhindi in front of a crowd of Indians and you will observe two reactions. One lot will smile with pleasure and the other will invariably make a face. Bhindi, also known as lady’s finger and okra, is a highly divisive subject among Indians. And yet, one of the main reasons why the haters hate on bhindi so much is that the vegetable, though seemingly easy to cook, can easily turn into a gluggy, sticky or fibrous mix. Try this Bhindi Do Pyaza recipe once, and all of these reasons to hate the veggie will naturally disappear.
How, you ask? Well, the recipe for Bhindi Do Pyaza calls for the frying of the veggie first. This is done without any addition of salt or spices, which actually helps. It is basic food chemistry that adding salt to vegetables while cooking accelerates the release of their water, giving the vegetables a boiled effect. This is the primary reason why Bhindi Fry and Bhindi Masala sometimes go wrong thanks to the addition of salt to the vegetable too soon. Bhindi Do Pyaza cuts off the very risk of this happening right at the beginning.
The other reason why Bhindi Do Pyaza tastes so great is because this dish has its origins in Mughlai cuisine, which is known for rich, royal and well-spiced dishes that taste great. Originally a meat-based recipe, the Do Pyaza recipe has an interesting history. While many believe the Do Pyaza or double onion technique of cooking originated in Khorasan and was brought to India by the Mughals, others believe it was invented by a courtier of Mughal Emperor Akbar, called Mullah Do-Piyaza.
Video credit: YouTube/Ajay Chopra
Whatever the origin story of Do Pyaza may be, this dish is well known for its signature use of double onions, once finely chopped and once diced. When applied to bhindi, the dish that is born is known as Bhindi Do Pyaza, and it is quite the royal treat to have. Though vegetarian, Bhindi Do Pyaza can turn your ordinary dinner into a feast. Just do us a favour and savour this one with the best of parathas or rumali rotis or naans. Here’s the recipe.
Ingredients:
500g bhindi
1 onion, finely chopped
1 onion, diced
½ cup tomato puree
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 green chillies, finely chopped
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp red chilli powder
½ tsp coriander powder
½ tsp cumin powder
1 tsp garam masala
2 tbsp curd
Salt, to taste
2 tbsp oil
2 tbsp ghee
Coriander leaves, to garnish
Method:
1. Wash, clean and let the bhindi dry completely before cutting it into 1-inch long pieces.
2. Heat oil in a pan, then add the cut bhindi to it.
3. Fry the bhindi at a medium to low flame for 5 minutes while stirring occasionally.
4. Remove the bhindi from the oil and set aside until later.
5. Add the ghee to the remaining oil.
6. Once the ghee gets hot, add the cumin seeds.
7. When the cumin seeds stop spluttering, add the finely chopped onions.
8. Mix well, then add the ginger garlic paste and chillies.
9. Continue frying the onions until they turn brown.
10. Now add the tomato puree and mix well.
11. Cook the tomato puree while stirring occasionally.
12. Once the tomato puree no longer smells raw, add the turmeric powder, red chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala and salt.
13. Mix well and keep sauteeing the masala until the oil separates from it.
14. Now add the curd, mix well and cook until more oil separates.
15. At this point, add the diced onions and fried bhindi.
16. Saute for 5 minutes or so, then add a splash of water if the gravy turns too sticky or thick.
17. Once the diced onions and bhindi are fully cooked, garnish the Bhindi Do Pyaza with coriander leaves and serve hot with parathas or naan.
