Ladies finger or Okra, is known as bhindi in hindi and vendaikai in Tamil. It’s good source of protein, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus folic acid and fibre. It’s low in potassium and sodium, hence can be included for renal patients when the diet has to have restricted sodium and potassium.
My family loves bhindi in all forms, simple stir fry, crispy bhindi, stuffed bhindi, bhindi raita etc . Few days back , I had made this Stuffed Bhindi masala for lunch. I learnt this recipe from a cookery show. It was very interesting and simple to make. The original dish was a dry one, served like a snack. I made it as gravy so that it can be served with roti or rice.
This also is a simple and easy to make recipe. It came out really very well. I had served this delicious, crispy stuffed bhindi in spicy and tangy gravy with missi roti which my family enjoyed very much:)

Ingredients
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Bhindi – 25-30, medium sized
Oil – 1/4th cup
Onion – 2 medium sized
Tomatoes – 4-5
Ghee- 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder – 1 tsp
Coriander powder – 2 tsps
Cumin powder- 1 tsp
Garam Masala – 1/2 tsp
Chopped coriander leaves – 2 tbsps
For the stuffing
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Coriander seeds ( dhania)- 2 tbsps
Sesame seeds ( til/ yellu)- 1 tbsp
Almond flakes ( badam)- 1 tbsp
Chana dal ( bengal gram/ kadala paruppu) – 1 tsp
Urad dal ( black gram/ ullundhu)- 1 tsp
Cumin seeds ( jeera)- 1/2 tsp
Red chillies- 7-8
Cloves ( lavang, krambu) -2
Cinnamon ( dalchini, pattai) – 1/2 inch
Coconut- 4 tbsps
Garlic – 8-10 cloves
Salt to taste
Oil – 1 tsp
Method
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1. Wash the bhindi well and wipe it dry. Cut the ends and make a vertical slit. Keep it aside.
Peel, wash and chop onions.
Wash and chop tomatoes.
To make the stuffing
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2. Roast all the ingredients mentioned in a tsp of oil till the coconut turns golden. Cool and grind it coarsely.
3. Stuff the bhindi with the masala generously.
4. Heat oil in a wide, heavy bottom pan. Place the bhindi gently on the pan. Cook till the underside turns crisp. Turn it gently and cook till the other side turns crispy.
Remove the pan from the gas and keep it aside.
5. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in another pan. Add chopped onions. Sauté till it turns pink. Add tomatoes, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala powder and salt to taste. Mic well and sauté till tomatoes become soft.
Cool and grind to a purée.
Pour this purée over the crisp bhindi, mix gently. Simmer it on a low flame for 5 minutes.
6. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve the bhindi hot with roti or pulav or hot steamed rice drizzled with little melted ghee:)