THE LOVABLE LADYFINGERS

Healthy & Versatile

Ladyfingers also known as Bhindi in our local culinary terms one of the most commonly used vegetables in our daily cooking, easy to make, simple to adapt to and healthy as well.

Bhindi, as to Indian kitchens, is like one vegetable which most of us have once a week or so and yet its varieties are numerous, and the variations are extremely exotic too. I remember having a ladyfinger soup in one of my experiences with international cuisines, and believe me, it was simple out of this world. We usually have it in an onion tomato masala or just simply with onion and spices at times or just normal tadke wali bhindi as well.

Also Try: PASSION FOR POHA

It is also called as Okra and Gumbo as well in the world cuisine and it has found its way into salads, stir fries, soups, side dishes, main course curries, stews, baked dishes, not to forget a few of my favorites like kurkuri bhindi, bhindi do pyaaza, hare masale wali bhindi, bhindi in dahi gravy, bhindi aur aloo ka bhujiya etc.

Here are a few recipes with ladyfingers with a little twist of taste for all of you to try:

Recipe-1] GUMBO FRIED RICE

Ingredients

Method

Boiled white rice- 2 cups cooked Ladyfingers/bhindi- 150 gms cut into pieces Oil- 2 tbsp. Garlic- 1 tsp chopped Ginger – 1 tsp chopped Green chillies- 2 no slit Onion-1 small chop. Schezuan sauce- 1 tbsp. Salt and pepper to taste Tomato ketchup- 1 tbsp. Soy sauce- 1 tsp Red and green chilli sauce- 1 tsp each Assorted mix veggies- carrots/beans/peas/ potatoes- any of your choice to be cut into small pieces and blanched/boiled. Coriander leaves- 2 tsp chopped Roasted/fried peanuts/cashews- 2 tbsp.

1. Prepare the rice and keep it aside. 2. Heat oil in a pan/wok, saute the ginger, garlic, chillies, and onion for 15 seconds. 3. Add in the veggies of your choice, cut ladyfinger pieces and add salt and pepper. Sauté well for a minute. 4. Cover and simmer for 4-6 mins, allowing veggies to cook in steam, add in the sauces, a little water, and allow to cook for another 2-3 mins in steam. If desired, we can fry the ladyfingers as well and then add them to the rice for crispy texture. 5. Finally, add in the cooked rice, toss well and check for salt. 6. Garnish with fried nuts, coriander and serve hot. For Non-Veg: Add boiled cubed eggs/ boiled cubes of chicken/ sliced chicken sausages/ also try adding baked beans/ cubes of paneer/tofu.

Recipe- 2] SAUNFIYA BHINDI ALOO

Ingredients

Method

Bhindi- 200gms cut into medium pieces Potato- 150gms cut into cubes. Oil/ghee- 2 tbsp. Hing- 1 pinch Jeera- 1 tsp Curry leaves- 6- 8 no Slit green chillies- 2-3 Onion- 1 large chop Roasted crushed saunf- 1 tsp Chaat masala- ½ tsp/aamchur powder- ½ tsp Lime juice- 1 tsp Coriander leaves- 1 tbsp. chop

1. Prepare the bhindi and aloo cut into pieces. 2. Heat oil or ghee in a pan, add in the hing and all the ingredients one by one, saute onions till light pink. 3. Add in the aloo and bhindi and mix well, cover and simmer for 6-8 mins. 4. Now add in the masalas, saunf and salt to taste, mix well, and cook for another 4-6 mins until well done. 5. Finally, add in the aamchur/lime juice and coriander leaves and serve hot with phulkas, rotis.

Recipe- 3] LADYFINGER RELISH WITH FETA CHEESE

Ingredients

Method

Ladyfingers- 150 gms cut into pieces Lettuce leaves- 1 cup Tomatoes-1/2 cup no seeds Capsicums-1/4 cup cubes Shallots/onions- ¼ cup sliced Cucumber- 1 small cubes Lime juice- 2 tbsp. Chaat masala-1/2 cup Mint leaves- 10-12 no Schezuan chutney- 1 tbsp. Coriander leaves- 1 tbsp. Bread croutons/cubes of fried/toasted bread- ½ cup Feta cheese/ regular cubes of processed cheese- 100 gms To saute the Ladyfingers: Oil- 1 tbsp. Garlic- 1 tsp chop Salt and pepper to taste Herbs and chilli flakes to taste

1. Prepare all the ingredients for the relish salad, cook the ladyfingers separately first as given above for 10-12 mins on low flame. 2. In a mixing bowl combine all the ingredients well and toss the salad together with the saute and cooked ladyfinger pieces. 3. Add the bread croutons/cubes and arrange it on a serving dish on a bed of crispy lettuce leaves, garnish with some olives/cherry tomatoes/ feta cheese and serve immediately.

Recipe-4] ASIAN OKRA TOMATO VEG BROTH

Ingredients	Method
Okra/ladyfingers- 150 gms cut into pieces Olive oil/ oil- 2 tsp Garlic- 1 tsp chop Onion- 1 small chop Carrot- 2 inch. piece cubes Potato/sweet potato- 1 small cubes Capsicum- ½ cubes Green peas-1/4 cup boiled Tomato puree- 1 cup fresh/tin Salt and black pepper to taste Paneer/tofu- 50 gms cubes Parsley/basil/coriander leaves- 2 tbsp. Water/veg stock- 2-3 cups	1. Prepare the ingredients for the soup. 2. Heat oil, saute garlic, onion add in the tough vegetables initially add seasonings, puree, herbs and chilli flakes/spices as desired. 3. Add in the veg stock/water and bring to a boil, simmer for 10 mins, add in the capsicums, ladyfingers and continue cooking for 10-12 mins more. 4. Serve hot, garnished with fresh coriander/basil leaves.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author solely. TheRise.co.in neither endorses nor is responsible for them. Reproducing this content without permission is prohibited.