Bhindi Masala, Ladies Finger Masala Recipe

Bhindi Masala, Ladies Finger Masala Recipe.

Bhindi Masala – This is a very simple recipe made with bhendi – vendakkai. This okra gravy is a semi-dry preparation and tastes well for roti / chapati.

There is this cute little thing that happens when buying bhindi in the Indian market. You can spot all the ladies trying to break the tip of each and every bhindi before putting it in their basket. The theory being that if the tip breaks, its a good one. If it doesn’t, its not. To break the tip of a bhindi in front of a shop keeper – its pretty liberating I say. If properly prepared, bhindi should never be slimy. This is a very simple recipe made with bhindi – vendakkai. This okra gravy Bhindi Masala is a semi-dry preparation and tastes very well with roti or chapati.

Heat oil in a pan and add in the cut bhindi and salt. Fry on a very low flame till the bhindi is roasted and no more slimy. It will take a good 12-14 minutes on a low flame. Set aside.

In the mean time crush the ginger and garlic in a mortar and pestle or in a mixie. If grinding in a mixie, do not add any water. We just want it crushed. Not a paste. Set aside.

Heat oil in a pan, add in the curry leaves and cumin seeds. Let the cumin seeds splutter. Add in the crushed ginger and garlic and saute for a couple of minutes.

Add in the onions and fry on a low flame until the onions are nice and golden. It will take a good 10 minutes.

Once the onions are golden, add in the very finely chopped RIPE tomatoes. Add in the salt, turmeric, sambar powder, jaggery and asafoetida. Add in a few cashewnuts. Fry till the tomatoes are well cooked and streaks of oil start to appear on the top.

In the mean time when the tomatoes are cooking, take another pan and dry roast the sesame seeds and peanuts on a low flame. Dry roast briefly until the sesame seeds start to pop. Do not roast for a long time as the sesame seeds may turn bitter. Grind in a mixie to a fine powder. Set aside.

Now back to the main pan. Add in a cup of water to the onion and tomato mixture. Add in the bhindi and the sesame-peanut powder. Saute for a minute to combine. Remove off heat.

For frying Bhindi

• 250 grams Bhindi – okra
• 2 tablespoon oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

For the powder

• 1/2 cup peanuts
• 3 tablespoon white sesame seeds

Other Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon Oil
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 pod garlic
• 2 inch piece ginger
• 2 medium onions, finely chopped
• 3 medium ripe tomatoes, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon jaggery
• 1/8 teaspoon asafoetida
• 1 teaspoon sambar powder
• 6 - 7 cashew-nuts, broken

1. Heat oil in a pan and add in the cut bhindi and salt. Fry on a very low flame till the bhindi is roasted and no more slimy. It will take a good 12-14 minutes on a low flame. Set aside.
2. In the mean time crush the ginger and garlic in a mortar and pestle or in a mixie. If grinding in a mixie, do not add any water. We just want it crushed. Not a paste. Set aside.
3. Heat oil in a pan, add in the curry leaves and cumin seeds. Let the cumin seeds splutter. Add in the crushed ginger and garlic and saute for a couple of minutes.
4. Add in the onions and fry on a low flame until the onions are nice and golden. It will take a good 10 minutes.
5. Once the onions are golden, add in the very finely chopped RIPE tomatoes. Add in the salt, turmeric, sambar powder, jaggery and asafoetida. Add in a few cashewnuts. Fry till the tomatoes are well cooked and streaks of oil start to appear on the top.
6. In the mean time when the tomatoes are cooking, take another pan and
7. dry roast the sesame seeds and peanuts on a low flame. Dry roast briefly until the sesame seeds starts to pop. Do not roast for a long time as the sesame seeds may turn bitter. Grind in a mixie to a fine powder. Set aside.
8. Now back to the main pan. Add in a cup of water to the onion and tomato mixture. Add in the bhindi and the sesame-peanut powder. Saute for a minute to combine. Remove off heat. Serve hot.

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 40 mins
• Category: Side Dish
• Cuisine: Indian

For frying Bhindi

• 250 grams Bhindi – okra
• 2 tablespoon oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

For the powder

• 1/2 cup peanuts
• 3 tablespoon white sesame seeds

Other Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon Oil
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 pod garlic
• 2 inch piece ginger
• 2 medium onions, finely chopped
• 3 medium ripe tomatoes, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon jaggery
• 1/8 teaspoon asafoetida
• 1 teaspoon sambar powder
• 6 - 7 cashew-nuts, broken

1. Heat oil in a pan and add in the cut bhindi and salt. Fry on a very low flame till the bhindi is roasted and no more slimy. It will take a good 12-14 minutes on a low flame. Set aside.
2. In the mean time crush the ginger and garlic in a mortar and pestle or in a mixie. If grinding in a mixie, do not add any water. We just want it crushed. Not a paste. Set aside.
3. Heat oil in a pan, add in the curry leaves and cumin seeds. Let the cumin seeds splutter. Add in the crushed ginger and garlic and saute for a couple of minutes.
4. Add in the onions and fry on a low flame until the onions are nice and golden. It will take a good 10 minutes.
5. Once the onions are golden, add in the very finely chopped RIPE tomatoes. Add in the salt, turmeric, sambar powder, jaggery and asafoetida. Add in a few cashewnuts. Fry till the tomatoes are well cooked and streaks of oil start to appear on the top.
6. In the mean time when the tomatoes are cooking, take another pan and
7. dry roast the sesame seeds and peanuts on a low flame. Dry roast briefly until the sesame seeds starts to pop. Do not roast for a long time as the sesame seeds may turn bitter. Grind in a mixie to a fine powder. Set aside.
8. Now back to the main pan. Add in a cup of water to the onion and tomato mixture. Add in the bhindi and the sesame-peanut powder. Saute for a minute to combine. Remove off heat. Serve hot.

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 40 mins
• Category: Side Dish
• Cuisine: Indian

Find it online : https://www.kannammacooks.com/bhindi-masala/

Tuscan Pasta Soffritto.

Italian Tuscan Pasta Soffritto in tomato sauce and Basil. Easy and quick recipe. With step by step pictures.

“As long as there’s pasta and Chinese food in the world, I’m okay.” If I really like you, Tuscan Pasta – this is what I would make for you when you are at home with me. This Tuscan Pasta is a veggie pasta full of flavor and it is hearty, rich and will definitely make you feel very satisfied. A lot of my friends make note of this recipe once I have cooked this Tuscan Pasta for them. I am sharing it here for the love of good pasta. A french mirepoix is a mixture of chopped celery, onions, and carrots. Its called as the holy trinity of veggies. The Italian version of mirepoix is called soffritto. It is the foundation for many Tuscan sauces. An Italian soffritto is made with olive oil, especially in Southern Italy, rather than butter, as in France and may also contain garlic, and herbs. It is also called as “false ragout”, because soffritto is thought to vaguely recall the flavor of meat sauce. So what are we waiting for. Lets go and mangia mangia baby

For the soffritto mixture Chop the onions and celery very finely. I like to keep the sauce thick. So I run my carrots in a food processor / mixie instead of chopping it. Get these ready. Set aside.

Heat a heavy bottomed pan and add in the olive oil and garlic. I run the garlic through the garlic press. Add in a teaspoon of store bought dry Italian herb mixture. (Any store bought kind will do. Mine had oregano,thyme,dried garlic and basil). I learned a great tip from Chef Suvir Saran. He once told that waking up the spices and herbs in oil is the best method to bring them alive. Its the greatest indian technique of tempering spices called the tadka that not only works wonders on Indian cooking but to any cooking. It works every single time. I do it for all my cooking. Not just Indian.

Add in the soffritto mixture and salt and fry well until cooked down by half. Usually soffritto is not browned. But for this recipe, we want the veggies to nicely cook down and caramelize. It adds a very nice flavor. Cook for 10-15 minutes on medium flame sauteing constantly so the mixture does not stick to the bottom of the pan.

Add in the pureed skinned, de-seeded tomatoes. I just run the tomatoes in the food processor / mixie and strain. That’s my easy route to skinned de-seeded tomatoes. I just strain the tomatoes right over the pan.

Add in a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar and a big pinch of sugar. Sugar rounds out the flavor of the tomatoes and the vinegar tangs it up.

Add in fresh ground pepper and let the sauce simmer in low flame for 5 minutes. Check for seasoning. Add more salt if necessary.

Add in the cooked and drained pasta. Add in half a cup of cream and freshly chopped basil. Basil is what gives this dish that unique taste. Do not skip Basil. Remove off heat.

Serve hot. Buon Appetito!

For the soffritto mixture

• 2 medium sized onions
• 3 carrots
• 6 - 7 stalks celery

Other Ingredients

• 150 grams pasta, cooked and drained
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon dried italian herb
• 4 - 5 cloves garlic
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 8 very ripe tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup cream
• 7 - 8 leaves fresh basil

1. Chop the onions and celery very finely. I like to keep the sauce thick. So I run my carrots in a food processor / mixie instead of chopping it. Get these ready. Set aside.
2. Heat a heavy bottomed pan and add in the olive oil and garlic. I run the garlic through the garlic press. Add in a teaspoon of store bought dry Italian herb mixture. (Any store bought kind will do. Mine had oregano,thyme,dried garlic and basil). I learned a great tip from Chef Suvir Saran. He once told that waking up the spices and herbs in oil is the best method to bring them alive. Its the greatest indian technique of tempering spices called the tadka that not only works wonders on Indian cooking but to any cooking. It works every single time. I do it for all my cooking. Not just Indian.
3. Add in the soffritto mixture and salt and fry well until cooked down by half. Usually soffritto is not browned. But for this recipe, we want the veggies to nicely cook down and caramelize. It adds a very nice flavor. Cook for 10-15 minutes on medium flame sauteing constantly so the mixture does not stick to the bottom of the pan.
4. Add in the pureed skinned, de-seeded tomatoes. I just run the tomatoes in the food processor / mixie and strain. That’s my easy route to skinned de-seeded tomatoes. I just strain the tomatoes right over the pan.
5. Add in a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar and a big pinch of sugar. Sugar rounds out the flavor of the tomatoes and the vinegar tangs it up.
6. Add in fresh ground pepper and let the sauce simmer in low flame for 5 minutes. Check for seasoning. Add more salt if necessary.
7. Add in the cooked and drained pasta. Add in half a cup of cream and freshly chopped basil. Basil is what gives this dish that unique taste. Do not skip Basil. Remove off heat.

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins
• Category: Pasta
• Cuisine: Italian