Cooked with lots of onions, bhindi do pyaza is an Indian vegetarian curry made with okra which is everyone’s favorite. It is a great gluten-free dish to serve with Indian bread. Here is how to make it.
Here are some of my other favorite bhindi recipes, that I often make at home for my everyday meals or even to pack in lunch box – Rajasthani Besan Bhindi, Achari Bhindi, Dahi Bhindi, Bharwa Bhindi, Punjabi Bhindi Masala, and Bhindi Ka Salan.
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About This Recipe
Double the amount of onions with soft and spicy okra, this bhindi do pyaza is a delicious twist to your regular bhindi sabzi.
You must be wondering why it is called bhindi do pyaza? Do pyaza means double the number of onions. “Do” means twice or double and “Pyaza” refers to onions. Therefore, in bhindi do pyaza we use okra and onions in the ratio of 1:2 and in two different ways.
You must have come across many do pyaza recipes, especially in restaurants such as chicken do pyaza, paneer do pyaza, mushroom do pyaza. Well, this bhindi curry is just like them.
You can include this dish in your daily meal menu and can also serve it during any of your dinner or lunch parties. This is also a great recipe to be packed in your lunch box with some hot tawa parathas.
I love to serve it for my everyday meals with Roti, Raw Mango Chutney, and Dal Tadka. This is a hot combination at my home, and everyone loves it.
This Bhindi Sabji is,
- Delicious
- Gluten-free
- Simple and Quick
- Perfect for everyday meals
- Apt to pack in Lunch Box
Ingredients
Bhindi – Bhindi (Okra or Lady’s Fingers) is available throughout the year, so you can enjoy this sabzi any time you want. Opt for long, green, and no blemish Bhindi to make this sabzi. Frozen okra also works great. In the US, okra is not available very easily. You can get it at your closest Indian grocery store or whole food stock it sometimes.
Onions – You will need lots and lots of onions for this bhindi sabzi. You can use the regular red onions for this.
Yogurt – Yogurt is used to make the base of the curry. Before adding it to the sabzi, taste it and check if it’s sour. If it’s too sour, avoid adding it, otherwise, it will ruin the taste of the curry.
Spice powders – For this sabzi, we will need some basic spice powders such as coriander powder, turmeric powder, red chili powder, cumin powder, and salt, which will further enhance the taste of this sabzi.
Green Chilies – You can adjust the amount of green chilles as per your taste.
Other Ingredients – Apart from this, this sabzi requires tomatoes, cumin seeds, carom seeds, besan, bay leaf, ginger, and fresh coriander.
The addition of yogurt besan mixture gives this simple bhindi curry a nice creamy base, which gives it that restaurant touch and makes it even yummier.
How to make Bhindi Do Pyaza?
Wash 1 pound of bhindi well and wipe each piece with a kitchen towel. We want bhindi to be completely free of any moisture to avoid slimness while cooking. I generally wash it one day prior to cooking so that it’s completely free of any moisture. Now discard the ½ inch piece from top and bottom and cut the bhindi into 1 inch long pieces. Heat 4 tbsp vegetable oil in a heavy bottom pan. I have used vegetable oil but you can use any oil of your choice.
Once the oil is hot, add the chopped bhindi and cook it on medium heat until it is 80% cooked. Keep stirring at regular intervals while cooking. It will take 8-10 minutes for the bhindi to fry perfectly.
Once cooked, remove it on a plate and keep it aside.
Add ½ cup cubed onion and ½ cup cubed tomato in the same oil and fry on medium heat until pinkish. The onions must still be crunchy (4-5 minutes). Remove on a plate.
Now add 1 tsp cumin seeds, ½ tsp carom seeds, and 2-3 bay leaves in the same oil and fry for a few seconds until they start to crackle. You can add some more oil at this stage if there is no oil left. I like to keep the oil-less, so didn’t add any more.
Add 2 tsp finely chopped ginger and 2-3 green chilies slit into half and fry for 3-4 seconds.
Add ½ cup chopped onions and fry on medium heat until it turns light brown (6-8 minutes). Keep stirring while cooking.
Now add ½ cup grated tomato and cook for 2 minutes.
Add 2 tsp coriander powder, ½ tsp turmeric powder, 2 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder, ½ tsp cumin powder, and salt to taste and cook until oil starts to separate from the sides of the pan. It will take 3-4 minutes on medium heat.
Add ½ cup yogurt whisked with 2 tsp roasted besan and cook for 2 minutes. Adding roasted besan in yogurt prevents it from splitting and also thickens the gravy.
Now add fresh coriander and fried bhindi to the pan. Add ½ cup of water.
Cover and cook on low heat until bhindi is 100% cooked (8-10 minutes).
Add the fried onions and tomato to the pan and mix well. Add ½ tsp garam masala powder and mix well. If the curry looks very thick, add some more water and bring the curry to a boil.
Bhindi do pyaza is ready to serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
While buying ladies ‘ fingers, look out for fresh, green ones with no blemishes. A trick to see if the bhindi is fresh is by snapping its tip. If it snaps easily, and with a click, it’s fresh.
Here are a few tips which would prevent bhindi from turning slimy:
● Always wash and rinse okra properly, wipe them dry using a kitchen cloth, and then cut them into pieces. This would prevent the lady-finger from not getting sticky while chopping itself.
If you are not pressed for time, then I suggest washing the okra and leaving it for a few hours to dry completely. Cut it after it has dried nicely.
● Cover the cooking vessel while making any of the okra recipes only for a limited period of time to avoid the stickiness and sliminess of the okra.
● Adding a sour ingredient like lime juice, dry mango powder, tomatoes, or tamarind paste reduces the sliminess of bhindi.
● Also, remember to keep cleaning the knife while chopping okra into pieces and also do not over mix the okra after adding it into the pan to avoid the sliminess of lady-finger and to protect the dish from getting sticky or mushy.
Once you have washed and wiped the okra, you can cut it into ½ inch roundels or into stripes. To cut into roundels, discard 1 inch of the tip and the cap of the okra. Then cut the remaining okra into rounds.
To cut into stripes, discard the tip and the cap. Cut the bhindi into half and then cut the half into half again. Keep wiping the knife with a kitchen cloth while cutting the okra.
You can chop the okra and then spread it on a baking tray. Freeze it for 3-4 hours. Then collect and freeze in zip lock bags.
If you do not prefer bhindi, you can substitute it with paneer, tofu, mushrooms, cauliflower, colored bell peppers, etc.
Instant Pot Bhindi Do Pyaza Recipe
This do pyaza bhindi can be cooked easily in an instant pot. Here is how.
- Press SAUTE button of your Instant Pot.
- Add oil to it.
- Once the oil is hot, add the bhindi and cook until it is 80 % cooked (8-10 minutes). Keep stirring while frying.
- Remove on a plate and keep aside.
- Add the onion in the same oil and fry until browned (6-8 minutes).
- Add tomato cubes to the pot and fry for 2-3 minutes.
- Remove on a plate and keep aside.
- Add cumin seeds, carrom seeds, and bay leaf in the same oil and fry for 3-4 seconds until they start to crackle.
- Add ginger and green chili and fry for 8-10 seconds.
- Now add onions and fry until it turns light brown (8-10 minutes).
- Add grated tomato and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add coriander powder, turmeric powder, red chili powder, cumin powder, and salt to taste and cook until oil starts to separate from the sides of the pan (3-4 minutes).
- Now add yogurt whisked with roasted besan and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add fresh coriander and fried bhindi.
- Add ½ cup water.
- Close the lid of the pot and press PRESSURE COOK.
- Set the timer to 4 minutes on high pressure.
- Once the timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes.
- Release the remaining pressure, manually and open the lid and add the fried onions and tomato and mix well.
- Add garam masala powder and mix well.
- Serve hot.
Serving Suggestions
This bhindi sabzi goes really well with all sorts of Indian bread such as Roti, Tawa Paratha, Laccha Paratha, Missi Roti, Naan, Tandoori Roti, or Butter Garlic Naan.
It can also be served as a side dish along with the combination of your favorite dal and rice.
Storing Suggestions
Bhindi do pyaza will last in the fridge for a day or two when stored in an airtight container. Do not keep it for longer than this, as it has yogurt in it.
If you are not using yogurt in this recipe, then this recipe will last for 3 to 4 days. Re-heat it in a pan or in a microwave before serving. If you feel it has become a little dry, then add in a little water and heat until nice and warm.
Pro Tips By Neha
Wash and pat dry the bhindi properly before using it to make the sabzi.
You can cut bhindi in any shape of your choice, be it round or sliced.
You can adjust the amount of spices according to your taste and preference.
Do not reduce the amount of onions in the recipe, because it is the key ingredient that gives it a different taste.
This dish can be made with or without gravy. The basic recipe remains the same. Add some pureed tomato and more water to make a curry.
You can skip adding the yogurt mixture to the curry and make the base only with onion and tomato puree to make it vegan.
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Recipe Card
Bhindi Do Pyaza Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 pound okra/bhindi (cut into 2 inch pieces)
- ½ cup onion (Cut into 1 inch cubes)
- ½ cup cubed tomato (Cubed)
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon carom seeds
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped ginger
- 2-3 green chilies (Slit into half)
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 1 cup grated tomato
- 2 teaspoons coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 2 teaspoons Kashmiri red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon roasted cumin powder
- salt to taste
- ½ cup yogurt (whisked with 2 tsp besan.)
- 2 tablespoons chopped coriander
- ½ teaspoon garam masala powder
Instructions
- Wash the bhindi well and wipe each piece with a kitchen towel. We want bhindi to be completely free of any moisture to avoid slimness while cooking. I generally wash it one day prior to cooking so that it's completely free of any moisture. Now discard the ½ inch piece from top and bottom and cut the bhindi into 1 inch long pieces. Heat 4 tbsp vegetable oil in a heavy bottom pan. I have used vegetable oil but you can use any oil of your choice.
- Once the oil is hot, add the chopped bhindi and cook it on medium heat until it is 80% cooked. Keep stirring at regular intervals while cooking. It will take 8-10 minutes for the bhindi to fry perfectly.
- Once cooked, remove it on a plate and keep it aside.
- Add ½ cup cubed onion and ½ cup cubed tomato in the same oil and fry on medium-heat until pinkish. The onions must still be crunchy (4-5 minutes). Remove on a plate and keep aside.
- Now add 1 tsp cumin seeds, ½ tsp carom seeds, and 2-3 bay leaves in the same oil and fry for 3-4 seconds until they start to crackle. You can add some more oil at this stage if there is no oil left. I like to keep the oil-less, so didn’t add any more.
- Add 2 tsp finely chopped ginger and 2-3 green chilies slit into half and fry for a few seconds.
- Add ½ cup chopped onions and fry until it turns light brown (6-8 minutes). Keep stirring while frying.
- Now add ½ cup grated tomato and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add 2 tsp coriander powder, ½ tsp turmeric powder, 2 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder, ½ tsp cumin powder, and salt to taste and cook until oil starts to separate from the sides of the pan.
- Add ½ cup yogurt whisked with 1 tsp roasted besan and cook for 2 minutes. Adding roasted besan in yogurt prevents it from splitting and also thickens the gravy.
- Now add fresh coriander and fried bhindi to the pan. Add ½ cup of water.
- Cover the pan with a lid and cook until bhindi is 100% cooked (8-10 minutes).
- Add the fried onions and tomato to the pan and mix well. Add ½ tsp garam masala powder and mix well. If the curry looks very thick, add some more water and bring the curry to a boil.
- Bhindi Do Pyaza is ready to serve.
Notes
- Press SAUTE button of your Instant Pot.
- Add oil to it.
- Once the oil is hot, add the bhindi and cook until it is 80 % cooked (8-10 minutes). Keep stirring while frying.
- Remove on a plate and keep aside.
- Add the onion in the same oil and fry until browned (6-8 minutes).
- Add tomato cubes to the pot and fry for 2-3 minutes.
- Remove on a plate and keep aside.
- Add cumin seeds, carrom seeds, and bay leaf in the same oil and fry for 3-4 seconds until they start to crackle.
- Add ginger and green chili and fry for 8-10 seconds.
- Now add onions and fry until it turns light brown (8-10 minutes).
- Add grated tomato and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add coriander powder, turmeric powder, red chili powder, cumin powder, and salt to taste and cook until oil starts to separate from the sides of the pan (3-4 minutes).
- Now add yogurt whisked with roasted besan and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add fresh coriander and fried bhindi.
- Add ½ cup water.
- Close the lid of the pot and press PRESSURE COOK.
- Set the timer to 4 minutes on high pressure.
- Once the timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes.
- Release the remaining pressure, manually and open the lid and add the fried onions and tomato and mix well.
- Add garam masala powder and mix well.
- Serve hot.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!