Bharli Bhendi (Maharashtrian Style Stuffed Okra)
Ingredients
- 300 gms Okra
- 1/2 cup grated dry coconut
- 1/4 cup peanuts
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
- Few sprigs of coriander leaves
- 4 big garlic cloves
- 1/2 tsp red chilli powder/ cayenne pepper
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
- 1/2 tsp garam masala
- Salt, to taste
- Oil, as required for frying
Instructions
- Wash and wipe the okra with a clean kitchen towel. Cut off the crown and the tip and set aside. Make a slit lengthwise on one side of the okra.
- Roast peanuts on low heat, set aside
- Grate dry coconut, roast it on low heat until golden brown, set aside.
- Add chopped onions, and saute in little oil until translucent. Set it aside, let it come to room temperature.
- In your food processor/mixer, grind the grated roasted coconut, onions, garlic and roasted peanuts to make a coarse mixture.
- To the above mixture, add chopped tomato, turmeric, chilli powder, coriander leaves, garam masala, and salt as required, mix everything well.
- Stuff each okra with this prepared mixture.
- Heat oil in a pan, when the oil is hot enough, add the stuffed okra, sprinkle a little salt (go easy on the salt, as we have already added in the stuffing mixture). Shallow fry it on low heat with the lid covered, turning in between a couple of times. To make it crispy, crank up the heat towards the end and toss a couple of times. Enjoy it with chapati, or as a side along with some dal and rice.
Notes
1. Since I did not have dry coconut, I used freshly grated coconut. You may use unsweetened desiccated coconut too. But dry coconut definitely gives a better taste.
2. I forgot to add the tomatoes, nonetheless, it still turned out delicious. You may / may not add tomatoes.
3. As I always say, please feel free to increase/decrease the quantity of spice powders as per your preference.