I don't know why, but despite my love for it I have been a bit hesitant to delve into the world of Indian cooking. I think the number of spices can be a little overwhelming, not to mention expensive if they're not already stocked in your pantry.
However, now that I'm a grown-up married person and I have an impressive collection of spices, I no longer have any excuses. So here goes, my first attempt at a Bhindi dish, from Curry Bible.
Ingredients
- 280g/10oz Okra
- 1 red pepper
- 1 onion
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds (I just used a bit less ground cumin)
- 3 large garlic cloves, chopped
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp garam masala
Slice off the tops of the okra, and then chop into bite-sized pieces.
Slice the red pepper, and dice the onions.
Heat the oil in a wok over medium heat, and when hot add the mustard seeds and cumin. Remove from the heat and add the garlic, stirring for about a minute until it's lightly browned.
Then add the okra, red pepper, and onion, increase the heat to medium-high and stir fry for two minutes. Add the chilli powder and salt, and stir-fry for three more minutes. Add the garam masala for stir-fry for one minute. Remove from the heat and serve with rice.
This was SO easy. I don't think I followed the instructions minute to minute perfectly, but it still turned out delicious. The spices gave it a nice smokey flavor, and it was so colorful. As a bonus - I think it's quite healthy!
While I don't think this will stop my all too frequent Indian deliveries, I think it could put a nice dent in them and add a little something to my cooking repertoire.
