Okra Curry
This okra curry is a riff on a traditional bhindi masala, but simplified. Make it for the okra haters in your life and watch them change their minds before your eyes.
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 small yellow onion (diced)
- 1 green chili (jalapeño or shishito) (diced)
- 5 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 medium summer squash (crookneck or zucchini) (sliced into rounds and quartered)
- 1 medium red bell pepper (diced)
- 1/2 lb okra (tops removed, sliced thinly)
- 2 medium tomatoes (diced)
- 1 tsp curry powder
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- salt (to taste)
- black pepper (to taste)
- crushed red pepper (to taste
- rice and naan, for serving
Instructions
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Prepare all of your vegetables so you can focus on cooking, and not chopping against the clock.
- When the oil is hot, add the onion and green chili, and sauté 5 minutes until translucent. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute.
- Add the squash, bell pepper, okra, and spices, and cook it all together for about 20 minutes. Add the tomato and cook for about 5 minutes further, until the tomato begins to break down. At this point, you can serve it or cook it down a little longer. Serve with rice and naan, and enjoy!
Notes
- I don't mention it explicitly in the recipe, but it's good cooking practice to salt your food throughout the cooking process. Here, I would salt with the addition of the vegetables, again when you add the tomatoes, and maybe again at the end if it could use a little more.
- Going along with that, taste your food as you cook! When you add tomatoes, you're adding a lot of water, which could dilute the spices or salt levels of your dish. Taste before you serve so you know what to add. It takes the guesswork out of serving it to your friends and family and waiting on their reactions – you'll know it's good before it even gets to the table!
- This is the "fast" version of the dish. At this stage, the vegetables still have their shape and the squash has a bit of firmness to it. You could cook it low and slow for longer until the vegetables start to break apart, for extra tenderness. As an extra bonus, your house will smell amazing with it simmering on the stove for an hour or so.