Kurkuri Bhindi Recipe
Kurkuri Bhindi is a crispy Indian okra fry made with thinly sliced ladyfinger coated in gram flour, rice flour, and warming spices, then fried until golden and crunchy. Popular across North Indian homes and street food stalls, this dish transforms simple bhindi (okra) into an addictive, crunchy snack or side. Make it in under 30 minutes using a few simple ingredients. Serve it as an appetizer or as a side dish with Indian meals.
Here are some other bhindi recipes for your everyday meals: Achari Bhindi Masala, Punjabi Bhindi Masala, Besan Bhindi, and Bhindi Ka Salan.
★★★★★
“First time cooking okra. Your recipe was so delicious! They turned out crispy. My boys really liked it.”
– Lizet Flores de Bowen
A Quick Look At This Kurkuri Bhindi Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Serves: 4
- Cuisine: North Indian
- Course: Side Dish / Snack
- Diet: Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten-Free
- Skill Level: Beginner
- Equipment: Kadai or Frying Pan, Chopping Board, Knife, Slotted Spoon
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Why Kurkuri Bhindi Turns Slimy (And How We Fix It)
Okra becomes slimy due to mucilage (a natural plant resin) released when moisture meets heat. At Whisk Affair, we eliminate slime by:
- Frying in medium-hot oil (not overcrowded)
- Thoroughly washing and fully air-drying bhindi
- Adding besan + cornstarch combo for moisture control
Table of Contents
Whenever I meet Mohit’s side of the family, they inevitably talk about how much he loved bhindi as a kid. I have heard his bhindi love stories on repeat and can attest to them because he loves this vegetable today as well.
So, I make sure to make bhindi once a week. Although Mohit loves bhindi in any form, this crispy kurkuri bhindi is one of his favorites. I have perfected this recipe over time, and it turns out crispy every time I make it.
About Kurkuri Bhindi
Kurkuri = crispy, and Bhindi=Okra.
Kurkuri Bhindi is a dry preparation of okra in which the okra is thinly sliced, coated with besan and spices, and fried until crispy and crunchy.
You can make this Bhindi Kurkuri for everyday North Indian-style meals as a side dish with a dal or curry, or serve it as a teatime snack or appetizer with a cup of masala chai. I also enjoy serving it with curd rice for a hearty meal.
You can also air-fry or oven-roast the spice-coated bhindi instead of deep-frying it.
Ingredients
You can find all the ingredients to make this Kurkuri Bhindi recipe at an Indian grocery store.
Bhindi – To make this recipe, choose fresh, small bhindi with fewer seeds. Slice them evenly so that they cook evenly. This dish cannot be made using frozen bhindi, so buy fresh ones.
Besan (Gram Flour, Chickpea flour) and Cornstarch (Corn flour) are used to coat the okra, making it crispy when fried. You can replace cornstarch with rice flour.
Others – You will also need lime juice (or lemon juice) and spice powders, such as salt, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, garam masala powder, roasted cumin powder, and chaat masala.
You can also add ajwain to the kurkuri bhindi recipe.
You will also need a neutral oil, such as sunflower oil or canola oil, to fry the okra. If you enjoy the unique flavor of mustard oil, you can use it to fry okra.
How To Make Kurkuri Bhindi
Step 1: Wash 250g of bhindi and wipe each piece with a kitchen cloth. There shouldn’t be any moisture on the surface.
Step 2: Now, using a sharp knife, discard the top and bottom ½ inch of bhindi and cut it into quarters lengthwise. Then, slice off the seeds. If the bhindi is long, cut it in half horizontally. Prepare all the okra in the same way.
Step 3: Add the following ingredients to a large mixing bowl and mix well using your hands.
- Okra slices
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon garam masala powder
- ½ teaspoon roasted cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon chaat masala powder
Step 4: Let it rest for 10-12 minutes. Bhindi will leave some moisture during this time.
Step 5: Now, add 3 tablespoons of besan and 1 tablespoon of cornstarch to the bowl and mix lightly. The besan and cornstarch will coat the sliced bhindi because of the released moisture.
Step 6: Add 1-2 teaspoon of water if the besan is not sticking to the slices, and mix well.
Step 7: Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat for frying.
Step 8: Now, dust off the excess flour from the bhindi with your hands, then drop the besan-coated bhindi into hot oil.
Step 9: Deep fry the coated bhindi in 2 batches until golden brown and crispy. Use a slotted spoon to fry.
Note – Do not overfry; otherwise, it will become bitter.
Step 10: Remove the crispy okra to a plate lined with paper towels to drain the excess oil.
Step 11: Squeeze lime juice over it and serve immediately.
Kurkuri Bhindi FAQs
Preheat the air fryer to 400°F (200°C). Follow the steps until the okra is mixed with besan and cornstarch.
Arrange the coated bhindi in a single layer on the air fryer basket. Spray with oil. Air fry for 10-12 minutes.
Toss and air fry again for 5-6 minutes. Squeeze lime juice and serve hot.
Yes, you can. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Arrange the coated bhindi in a single layer on a baking tray. Place the tray on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes. Toss and bake for 5-6 minutes or until crispy.
It could be due to moisture in the bhindi, overcrowding during frying, or a low oil temperature.
Kurkuri Bhindi loses its crunch after about 30-40 minutes of frying, so it is advisable to make it just before serving. If you still have leftovers, store them in an airtight container for 2 to 3 days. Air-fry or heat in the oven before serving.
Pro Tips By Neha
When deep frying the bhindi, ensure the oil is hot enough. If it is not hot, bhindi will soak up oil and not turn out crispy.
Removing the seeds is crucial; otherwise, they will burn in hot oil, making the bhindi kurkuri bitter.
Do not overcrowd the pan while frying; otherwise, the fried bhindi will not turn crispy.
You can strain the used oil after frying the okra with a fine-mesh strainer and use it later to make curries.
Other Indian Veg Curry Recipes We Recommend
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Kurkuri Bhindi Recipe
Ingredients
- 250 grams bhindi (okra)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon garam masala powder
- ½ teaspoon roasted cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon chaat masala powder
- 3 tablespoons besan (chickpea flour, gram flour)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- oil (for frying)
- lime
Instructions
- Wash bhindi and wipe each with a kitchen cloth. There shouldn't be any moisture on the surface.
- Now, using a sharp knife, discard the top and bottom ½ inch of bhindi and cut it into quarters lengthwise. Then, slice off the seeds. If the bhindi is long, then cut the pieces in half horizontally. Prepare all the bhindi in the same way.
- Add bhindi, salt, red chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala powder, roasted cumin powder, and chaat masala powder to a large mixing bowl and mix well using your hands.
- Let it rest for 10 to 12 minutes. Bhindi will leave some moisture during this time
- Now add besan and cornstarch to the bowl and mix lightly. The besan and cornstarch will coat the bhindi because of the released moisture.
- Add 1-2 teaspoon of water if the besan is not sticking to the bhindi, and mix well.
- Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat for frying.
- Now dust the excess flour from the bhindi using your hands and drop the besan-coated bhindi in hot oil.
- Deep fry the bhindi in 2 batches until golden brown and crispy.
- Note – Do not overfry; otherwise, it will become bitter.
- Remove the crispy bhindi to a plate lined with a paper towel to drain the excess oil.
- Squeeze lime juice over it and serve immediately.
Great recipe, do you recommend adding ajwain?
Ajwain will be a great addition.
Looks great! I love making this Bhindi, my mother passed it on to us. There are a few differences but essentially the same. The recipe is live on the blog and would love your feedback overall on our work.
Thanks!
You are toooo good! Thanks for all wonderful recipes 🙂
Thnx a lot 🙂
First time cooking okra. Your recipe was so delicious! They turned out crispy. My boys really liked it.
Thnx a lot for trying 🙂
sachi me kurkure lagthe hei…bhindi ka…loved the recipe