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Bhindi Do Pyaza

4.80 from 10 votes
Total: 35 minutes
Serves 4

This Bhindi do Pyaza recipe may be the easiest one you have ever cooked. It’s a classic recipe made with sliced bhindi, pearl onions, and flavored with bright spices. Simple ingredients but fully loaded with flavor. 

Bhindi Do pyaza makes for the perfect side dish, or you can make it a meal when paired alongside panchmel dal, and tandoori roti.

Bhindi do pyaza in a black pan with spices on the side

What is Bhindi do pyaza?

For my friends, who are not familiar with this term – Bhindi Do Pyaza, Bhindi translates to Okra, and Do Pyaza or Dopiaza is a Persian word which means – two onions. 

This popular recipe Bhindi do pyaza is native to India and typically consists of cubed or sliced okra, which is cooked with twice the amount of onions and aromatic spices.

Simple, flavorful, and a delicious dish – that is commonly served in restaurants all across the Indian subcontinent. 

Bhindi – a versatile Vegetable!

Bhindi is a vegetable that you can always count on – I enjoy cooking with it, and I am always on a lookout for creative ideas to prepare Bhindi. 

Whether it be Kurkuri bhindi, Bhindi do pyaza, or bharwan bhindi, we love them all. And what’s not to love, Bhindi is – 

  • Low in calories,
  • High in fiber,
  • Potassium,
  • Folic Acid,
  • Calcium, and
  • Vitamins, making it a perfect vegetable to include in our diets. 

There are so many variations of Bhindi out there, and my next one to experiment in my kitchen is Dahi wali bhindi (Okra cooked in yogurt sauce). 

Now, coming on to today’s recipe – Bhindi do pyaza – don’t you all agree that bhindi and onions are great together – it’s like they are a perfect match, like an old classic.

So if I have to cook a traditional bhindi recipe, adding onions is a no brainier – they both compliment each other so well. 

Give Bhindi do pyaza a try today and trust me, you’ll fall in love with the simplicity of this dish. Plus, it comes together with minimal effort.

Bhindi do pyaza with green chilies

Ingredients required to make Bhindi Do Pyaza!

This Bhindi do pyaza recipe is made with everyday ingredients; there’s nothing complicated or fancy about Bhindi do pyaza recipe.

I am sure you already have many of the below-mentioned ingredients available in your pantry or fridge. Here is what you’ll need – 

» Okra/Bhindi  – the star ingredient. Look for tender, slim, and spot-free bhindi. Rinse, pat dry, and cut them lengthwise. 

» Essentials like – cumin seeds, turmeric powder, amchur Powder (Mango Powder), coriander powder, salt, and Kashmiri red chili powder. 

» Tomato Puree – it provides a nice sauce base to this recipe. If you prefer chunky tomatoes in Bhindi do Pyaza, you can use diced tomatoes instead.  

» Pearl Onions – I have used pearl onions because they hold their crunch pretty well. You can use two small onions instead.

» Green Chilies – to spice up the things. 

» Cilantro leaves – for flavor and garnish. 

Rinsed bhindi with pearl onionsBhindi sliced in half

How to make Bhindi Do Pyaza?

Rinse bhindi thoroughly under tap water. Let it air dry on a kitchen towel. Slice off the hard green top. Slice the bhindi in half lengthwise. Set it aside.

1. Heat oil in a pan. 

2. Add sliced bhindi to the pan.

3. Sauté bhindi for 2-3 minutes until its soft and tender.

4. Once tender, remove from heat and set aside.

Cook Bhindi in oil

5. Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds.

6. Once the cumin seeds start to splatter, stir in the tomato puree. 

7. Cook tomato puree for another 4-5 minutes. 

8. Stir in the spices – coriander powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, salt, turmeric, and amchur powder.

Making of tomato base sauce

9. Mix to combine. Cook the tomato puree with spices for 2-3 minutes or until the oil separates. 

10. Add pearl onions to the cooked tomato.

11. Stir in green chilies. 

12. Add chopped cilantro leaves and stir to combine. 

Add pearl onions to Bhindi do pyaza

13. Cover and let cook the onions for 3-4 minutes or until fork-tender. 

14. Uncover the pan and check if the onions are soft. 

15. Return the pre-cooked bhindi to the pan. 

16. Stir bhindi do pyaza until well-combined. Cover and cook bhindi for another 3-4 minutes (to desired tenderness).

How to make Bhindi do pyaza

Questions you may have to make the BEST Bhindi do Pyaza

 

Why pan-cook the bhindi/okra first?

Bhindi, when cut in half or sliced, releases thick gooey juices, making it the least-liked vegetable to cook with.

So, here is a trick – The key to a less slimy bhindi is to cook okra/bhindi at high-heat, it will take care of the slimy part. 

Therefore to avoid the sticky substance, I have pan-cooked the okra on high-heat before combining it with wet ingredients. 

Can you bake Bhindi instead of pan-cook?

Absolutely! You can curb your cravings for bhindi do pyaza more healthily by baking it in the oven or air fryer. To cook the okra- 

  • Spread sliced okra in a single layer on a greased baking tray. 
  • Bake @350 degrees F for 10-15 minutes or until crisp. 
  • Remove from oven, toss in tomato+spice mix. 
  • Serve hot. 

How to cook baked Bhindi do pyaza

Can you use Bhindi do pyaza with regular onions?

Of course, you can! Feel free to use any kind of onions for this recipe – red, yellow, or white. Whatever you have on hand -peel and dice onions into cubes. 

If using cubed onions, you don’t have to precook the onions for long. Simply combine it with tomato + spice mix, sauté for a couple of minutes, then add the precooked okra.

Can you use chopped tomatoes as a substitute?

You can, but I prefer crushed tomatoes the best as it provides a curry base to Bhindi do Pyaza.

What does the term “cook until the oil separates” means?

This term differs from recipe to recipe. In Bhindi do pyaza recipe, when the water content of the tomato puree dries up, and a darker red shade replaces its bright red color, a thin layer of oil will start to sizzle or bubble around the edges of the pan. 

That’s what this term means – cook the tomato puree until the oil separates. This process indicates two things- 

  • The extra water in the tomato sauce has dried up, and
  • All the spices are well cooked and blended in the recipe.  

Bhindi do pyaza with cilantro and spices

So, if you have Bhindi/Okra lovers in your house, then do give this Bhindi do pyaza recipe a try and I am sure it will be an instant hit!

Let me know in the comments when you make it. 

Feel free to contact me with any questions or inquiries, and I would be happy to answer them. 

CRAVING FOR MORE, TRY OTHER DELICIOUS RECIPES-

This recipe post has been updated from the archives, first published on March 8th, 2015

Bhindi do pyaza

4.80 from 10 votes
This Bhindi do Pyaza recipe may be the easiest one you have ever cooked. It’s a classic recipe made with sliced bhindi, pearl onions, and flavored with bright spices. Simple ingredients but fully loaded with flavor.
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 35 minutes
Calories: 157 kcal
Servings: 4

EQUIPMENT

INGREDIENTS 

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Rinse bhindi thoroughly under tap water. Let it air dry on a kitchen towel.
  • Slice off the hard green top. Slice the bhindi in half lengthwise. Set it aside.
  • Heat oil in a pan. Add sliced bhindi to the pan.
  • Sauté bhindi for 2-3 minutes until its soft and tender. Once tender, remove from heat and set aside.
  • Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds. Once the cumin seeds start to splatter, stir in the tomato puree. 
    Cook cumin seeds and tomato paste in the pan
  • Cook tomato puree for another 4-5 minutes.  Stir in the spices – coriander powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, salt, turmeric, and amchur powder.
    Cook tomato puree for 4-5 minutes and add spices
  • Mix to combine. Cook the tomato puree with spices for 2-3 minutes or until the oil separates. 
    Cook tomato puree and spices
  • Add pearl onions to the cooked tomato.
    Add pearl onions
  • Stir in green chilies. Add chopped cilantro leaves and stir to combine. 
    Add cilantro and chilies
  • Cover and let cook the onions for 3-4 minutes or until fork-tender. 
    Cover the pan with lid and let it cook
  • Uncover the pan and check if the onions are soft. Return the pre-cooked bhindi to the pan. 
    Ann bhindi to the cooked onions
  • Stir until well-combined. Cover and cook bhindi for another 3-4 minutes (to desired tenderness).
    Stir until well combined
  • Serve hot with roti or warm Parathas.
    Serve hot bhindi

VIDEO

RECIPE NOTES

 
Why pan-cook the bhindi first?
Bhindi, when cut in half or sliced, releases thick gooey juices, making it the least-liked vegetable to cook with.
So, here is a trick – The key to a less slimy bhindi is to cook okra/bhindi at high-heat, it will take care of the slimy part. 
Therefore to avoid the sticky substance, I have pan-cooked the okra on high-heat before combining it with wet ingredients. 
 
Can you bake bhindi instead of pan-cook?
Absolutely! You can curb your cravings for bhindi do pyaza more healthily by baking it in the oven or air fryer. To cook the okra- 
  • Spread sliced okra in a single layer on a greased baking tray. 
  • Bake @350 degrees F for 10-15 minutes or until crisp. 
  • Remove from oven, toss in tomato+spice mix. 
  • Serve hot. 
 
How to store leftovers?
Store the leftover bhindi do Pyaza in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Bhindi will reheat really well in the microwave.
Or you can reheat bhindi on the stovetop in a skillet over medium heat.
 

NUTRITION

Calories: 157kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 170mg | Potassium: 499mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 967IU | Vitamin C: 38mg | Calcium: 121mg | Iron: 2mg
Disclaimer: The nutritional information provided above is approximate. Variations may exist due to the ingredients/brands used. These numbers should be considered estimates, as they are not calculated by a registered dietician.
Author: Ruchi
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
4.80 from 10 votes (10 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  1. Swati says:

    This looks delicious!! I love roasted okra and have never seen okra cut like that before. What a cool idea 🙂 Will have to try your recipe out! Great blog too!

    -Swati
    http://www.thefulltimefoodie.com

  2. Shreya says:

    Sounds so easy and yum, Definitely going to try,Thanks for the recepie Ruchi.

  3. Nehal says:

    Raining and made this kurkuri bhindi. was a perfect combination. Taste is so good.Want some more :0 Thanks Ruchiji

  4. Nasim says:

    Great recipe! Planning to try this since this is bhindi season. Does it make a difference if I cut bhindi in traditionally small pieces rather than length-wise for baking purposes?

    • Ruchi says:

      Thank you, Nasim!
      No difference at all. It’s perfectly fine if you cut bhindi into small rounds instead of lengthwise. 🙂

  5. Asha says:

    Must try recipe. Easy to make and yet flavour packed.